Yours Forever
by SpixieIsTrueLove2289
Summary: When tragedy strikes their lives will collide changing the four of them in ways they never thought possible. A SpinMax and JoLu story. R&R!
1. The fate of a child

**Yours Forever**

A story about a man who loved one woman in his lifetime, a woman who could never be his, but had his heart forever.

Chapter 1: The fate of a child

**Author's Note:**

Hello everyone this is a story about Maxie, Spinelli, Johnny and Lulu and a few other subsidary characters like Kate, Jax, Jason, Elizabeth, Sam, Robin, Carly, Sonny, etc. The necessary characters needed to interact with JoLu and Spixie. As you read you'll find out that most of the story centers around Spixie, but it will soon focus on Johnny and Lulu as well. The tagline mentioned below the title is in reference to both Johnny and Spinelli. The story is called "Yours Forever" based on the song by John Mellencamp. The story takes off of today where Johnny and Lulu are arguing about their relationship after the kiss they share in the haunted star. It starts as Spinelli enters and most of the dialouge is pretty similar to what happened on today's show, but with more detail, emotion, angst etc. Anyway I hope you enjoy my spinoff of today. Don't forget to review thanks!

* * *

"Um I'm sorry blonde one," Spinelli hopped down the stairs of the haunted star.

Walking past Johnny, Lulu angrily addressed Spinelli, not mad at him, but Johnny yes, "What? I'm just about to leave, you want to hang out?"

Spinelli looked down, "No unfortunately the Jackal brings news in the most upsetting nature…"

"Is it my father?" Lulu looked at him slightly alarmed.

"No, little Michael Corintos was shot," he frowned playing with his hands extremely nervous that he had to deliver such horrific news.

Johnny's heartbeat skipped a beat, "Where?"

"The coffee warehouse."

His thoughts turned to regret. Ever since Claudia suggested the idea of putting a hit on Sonny he had never looked back, but as the days, hours, minutes went by a turning feeling in his gut was telling him the hit would go wrong and now it had, in the form of a little innocent boy.

"But he's a little boy," Lulu said in on going disbelief, "Who-what kind of monster would shoot a twelve year old?"

Spinelli shrugged his shoulders wishing he knew more about the dire situation, "I don't know."

Johnny's hand turned into a fist desperately trying to keep the anger he had building inside of him, the guilt that he might be responsible for the death of a child, a child who didn't at all deserve to pay for his father's mistakes.

"Mr. Corintos sir decided to supervise the off loading of a coffee shipment tonight," Spinelli began explaining in more detail as to what happened when Johnny walked over.

"In interesting perhaps prophetic deviation from the normal routine, and the fashionista brought little Michael to the warehouse, why the jackal has no idea, but you can see how fates collide and some where an unknown sniper alert, waited and fired and most likely intended to hit Michael Corintos sir, but hit little Michael instead…"

Johnny felt sick, he could feel something crawling up his throat, but suddenly went down as Lulu glanced at him. He walked away touching the temple of his forehead while closing his eyes trying to wrap his head around how twisted his vengeance had gotten.

"Wait," Lulu watched him walk away, she could tell by his behavior, his sudden quietness, the way he touched his head, the way his posture…_No_, Lulu thought to herself, he couldn't have.

"I saw you put a gun to Sonny's head and you said straight out that you wanted him dead, did you…did you try to kill him tonight?" She waited for him to turn his back away from her and when he did she suddenly wished she hadn't waited to see him do so.

"You did didn't you?" She nodded in disapproval, where had the man she met on the road disappeared to?

"I would gladly shoot Sonny, but I would not fire a gun where a child could get hurt," he didn't dare look straight into her eyes as he finished his sentence for he could see she was beginning to look at him the way everyone else did.

She stood there staring at him hearing Spinelli walk up next to her, "It's most apparent that you did not shoot young Michael being as you are here with fair Lulu, but Mob/Kingpins such as yourself are not known for committing murders in person. You hire hit men/enforcers people who might not have the scruples as you do when it comes to you…" Spinelli wanted to give him more of his wrath, but he blonde one interrupted.

"Spinelli makes a very good point," she stopped paving way for tears to build in her eyes and started listening to Spinelli's words which got her angry at him.

"I did not hire or send the person that shot Michael tonight," he tried to lie with a straight face throwing anger back at Lulu.

Her lip started to quiver into a smile, yes you did, she could see it on his face that was red, she could see it in his eyes that were hurt, she could see it everywhere, he was responsible in some way for tonight, she just didn't know how.

"Lulu I swear I had nothing to do with tonight, I don't know who they are but when I do I will hunt them down and I will blow there head off," he clenched his teeth with rage thinking that his solution would impress her, make her feel that he was remorseful.

"Wow, wow that is really inspiring, that just makes up for it doesn't it?" She laughed at how stupid it all sounded, but mostly she was laughing at her self, her stupid self for thinking that Johnny was different.

"Michael's got a bullet in his head so let's go out and shoot someone else," she watched his face and body turn away from her like she was crazy, "Come on Lulu…" He responded.

"No this is sick!" She walked after him pushing him, "Don't you get it! Look at me when I'm talking to you!" She yelled grabbing his arm.

He turned to her with hurt eyes knowing this, that what he had done was killing her inside just as much as it was destroying what she thought was good in him, "To solve your problems by picking up a gun and guess what it doesn't fix anything, you shoot them they shoot you and soon nobody even knows when this hatred even started or who did most wrong. Your killing just to kill and a little boy gets caught in the middle god..."

She stared at him wanting to see the part of him that knew she was right, the part of him that she saw on the bridge, in Kellys, in the monastery when they were stuck together, in this every place they stood in, but she just couldn't see it right now.

He looked at her with tender eyes wanting to open up to her and tell her truth but she pushed him away slightly losing her balance, "Lulu!" Johnny shouted as she started to get dizzy like she was going to faint, but Spinelli grabbed hold of her before he could to his annoyance.

"I'm fine," she looked at Spinelli placing her hand on her forehead while her knees were still giving in to the floor.

"No your not," Johnny softly said gently trying to touch her, but she snapped at him.

"You're right I'm not!" She brushed his hand off, "I'm not fine because you have done something that is unforgivable!"

"I told you I didn't shoot Michael! I had nothing to do with it!" He begged for her to give him the benefit of the doubt, but she nodded knowing in her mind that he was lying.

Holding back the tears that had crept back into her eyes she bit her lip, "You are not the man I thought I could trust my heart with…"

She paused taking a deep breathe trying to regain the little bit of strength she had lot moments ago, "God Johnny what if Michael dies? What is Carly gonna do?"

Getting annoyed again he argued back with her, "I would rather take the bullet for Michael than live with this, cause you know what you're right it is my fault, and Sonny's faults, and Jason's, and my father's and all of us that live like this, who kill each other for power and money than turn around and lie and say that we have honor that we protect families, that women and children are safe and it's a bunch of crap!" He finished strongly knowing that everything he was saying she already knew was true, all she had to do was look around at Carly, Sonny, Jason and all the other people that were involved with them, it never really ends, it's a destructive path that destroys everything in its way.

"Even if Michael makes it out of this alive, he's screwed," he started out calm knowing he had someone what startled her by his last outburst, "Violence is what he's grown up with, it's what's inside of him…" He honestly believed, but she didn't, she smiled in disbelief.

"And even if he wants out there's no way he's getting out of it," he barely got time to take a deep breath from his on going argument for Lulu jumped back with a response that he never thought she'd even bring up.

"Maybe that is the lie that you tell yourself, but I don't believe it," her lip quivered but barked back with rage, "It's the truth!"

"No it's not!" She shouted from the top of her lungs, "It's not, you can walk away anytime you want you just don't want to."

She watched him look away from her trying to avoid hearing what he knew perhaps deep down inside of himself was the truth, "No mater how angry you are that Michael got shot your not angry enough gonna change anything…"

The tears she was fighting back got caught up in her throat, "Is anything gonna change tomorrow?"

He looked back at her, "No."

"I want to pretend you didn't just say that because I know a part of you knows that this is wrong, but what I don't understand is why you won't do anything to change it before you end up like your father," she knew she would get his attention now if she hadn't before.

He stared at her hurt by her sudden words waiting for her to continue on, but she didn't. She just looked at him in disappointment just as his father, just as Trevor, just as everyone else had looked at him.

She felt better now, not just because she had finally got out what had been building up inside of her since she broke up with him the day after she saw him threaten Sonny in the hospital room, but she felt like the sudden sick feeling she felt minutes ago had passed.

"Take me to the hospital," she turned to Spinelli frustrated that not only did Johnny not respond to her words, but angry that he had made it impossible for her to be with him.

"Um most surely," Spinelli looked back at Johnny who was still fired up by her words.

As she walked up the stairs with Spinelli behind her Johnny wanted the last say, "You knew this when you met me."

She stood at the top of the stairs turning to him looking at him wondering if he actually thought she'd believe his words, "No you weren't, the man I met on the side of the road wasn't afraid to live, he wasn't afraid to let himself be happy, he knew what he wanted and went after it."

He watched her leave knowing every word that came out of her mouth just now was true, but what hurt him the most was knowing that after today any progress they might have made, the kiss that he pretended he didn't want, but had secretly been longing, any chance of him ever being with her would never be.

He walked over to the poker table cursing himself at how the hit went wrong, at how he mistreated the first and last girl he'd ever probably get to love. Grabbing the chair he threw it across the room thinking that it would make him feel better, that expressing his frustrations through his jacket, poker chips and glasses would help him think clearer, but of course Johnny should have known better.

Slamming his fist onto the felt poker table he realized how he let his anger and rage mislead him into a situation that he knew he could never get out of. If he had ever thought of leaving the mob before, he'd have no chance in hell leaving now. His sister, his father and his handy dandy lawyer made sure of that, they made sure he'd continue the family business, that he run the Zacchara organization until the day he die or until the day he go permanently insane.


	2. Relationships falling apart

Chapter 2: Relationships fall apart

* * *

Spinelli glanced at Lulu and could tell she was upset, "Are okay blonde one?"

She wiped away the tears that were falling from her eyes, "I'm fine Spinelli, just drive."

"Alright," he said with sadness in his voice, this was the second time today she mean fully ordered him to do something for her, sometimes her anger was a little too hard to take, a little too hard to be her punching bag.

He was quiet for the rest of the drive until they pulled into the hospital, "Lulu?" He knew she had closed her eyes over half an hour ago.

"We're here," he quietly announced as she opened her eyes.

She nodded as he parked the car, "Spinelli?"

Putting the car in park and slowly taking the key he in a way wanted to ignore her words afraid that she would just yell at him for something else that was apparently his fault even if it wasn't.

"What?" He didn't look at her as he reached for his backpack in the backseat.

She wiped a few more on going tears running down her face feeling his anger now. It was one of the rare times she saw him get angry at her like this, first when she started dating Logan and second when Georgie had died.

"I'm sorry," she touched his hand.

He wanted to take in her apology, but at the moment he didn't feel like he could, "Don't use words you don't know the meaning of."

She watched him brush off her hand and get out of the car, "Spinelli…" She looked at him hurt as he closed the car doors.

"Spinelli wait!" She got out of the car running around it so catch up to him when she suddenly stopped.

He stood a few feet away with his back to her waiting for her, but when wasn't near him in the seconds that it should have taken he turned around letting all his anger for her slide away, "Lulu…"

Spreading her hands out along the trunk of the car taking a deep breath, "Not again…" She looked down at the road.

In the small distance that he was away from her he sprinted to her, "You feel sick again don't you?"

She nodded, "I don't know what's going on with me…" She looked up at him insecure about her health, "I just sudden feel really tired…"

He rubbed his hand along her back, "You know maybe we should just go home, I mean back to Stone Colds."

She looked up at the back window of the car, "No Carly needs me."

"But blonde one your not feeling well," he looked at her knowing that she needed to go home whether it was with him or the Quartermaines, she needed rest for whatever she had caught.

"I'll be okay," she looked up at him, "As long as I have you." She looked at him wanting to try to apologize for the way she had treated him earlier.

This was what he hated about himself, no matter how much he tried to be angry with her, she always had this way of making him forgive her, "Come here…" He motioned and in a moment of weakness she hugged him.

"I'm sorry Spinelli, I really am. I've been so horrible to you," she looked up at him and he was surprised to see her crying.

"It's okay," he hesitantly wiped her tears away.

She smiled in relief that he didn't hate her and rested her head on his chest, "Its not okay Spinelli…" She whined wanting to tell him just how much she knew she had been a cruddy friend to him recently.

"Shh…" He found himself suddenly knowing how to be smooth with her, wiping her tears away, holding her, thank god for Stone Cold he told himself, thank god for his little speeches that always seemed to help him when he needed it.

He looked down at her, "Listen…"

She looked up at him never really seeing a side of him like this before, "Yeah…"

"We'll go inside see if we can help and then I'll drive you home to the Quartermaines…" He smiled at her while inside he was cheering himself on that he was actually able to talk to her without using such big words and metaphors that no one, but Jason and Dillon who spoke Spinelli would understand.

"Can I go back to Jason's with you?" She didn't want to be alone tonight.

"Sure," he smiled before feeling her gently lie her head against his chest again.

"Thanks," she leaned out of the hug.

"Lulu, I'd do anything for you," he sweetly looked at her getting lost in her eyes, "Don't you know that?"

She frowned, "No…I guess it's been so long since you and I have been so close like this, I know I hurt you when I basically chose Logan over our friendship and I never want to do that again…"

He nodded suddenly finding himself slowly becoming infatuated with her again because her words, he had finally said what he only had dreamed of her saying.

She had wanted to reach out to him again, but Spinelli found himself wanting to get inside, that was his excuse, but in reality he was still having difficulties accepting this apology.

"Jason's expecting me and Carly is expecting you," he looked at her not wanting to continue this conversation.

"Right," she smiled seeing his face was still cold towards her.

They walked into the emergency room not knowing what to expect from Carly, Jason and especially Sonny.

"Carly," Lulu walked over to her with her arms wide open, "I'm so sorry…" She hugged her.

Carly looked like a nervous wreck with tears colored from her make up that was running, "I'm just hoping it's not as bad as they say…"

"What can I do?" She wanted to help so badly for she felt guilty being involved with the man that might possibly have done this.

"Um," she took out her phone, "Can you…" Her hand was shaking, "Can you call Bobbie and…Jax cause I keep missing him and I just want to know when his plane is coming in."

"Yeah," Lulu simply nodded taking the phone, "It's gonna be okay Carly…"

Spinelli had wandered in the time that Carly and Lulu had briefly been talking, "Stone Cold I'm already on the case I'll get security footage from everywhere around the area of the warehouse. We are going to get him…"

Just as Jason was about to thank him Sonny walked over to them with his hands in his pocket very much hating the sight of the two men in front of him, "Jason this is how your gonna fix what happened? Get your computer geek to look at some stupid video!"

Carly as well as Kate and Lulu stared at the rage that they feared was going to get violent.

"You should have been doing your job!" He stopped right in front of Spinelli and Jason.

"INSTEAD!" He grabbed Spinelli by the collar, "Of sending this worthless idiot…" He punched Spinelli in the face throwing him to the ground.

"Ah," Spinelli tried to get up spitting out blood, once again he was being used a punching bag. He wondered who the next person was to take out their anger on him.

"HEY!" Jason grabbed Sonny before he could take anymore of his anger out on the boy.

Sonny pushed him Jason away, "You should have been doing your job man!"

"And you know what I'm talking about!" He pointed meaning all of Jason's distractions with Elizabeth and Jake.

"If you had been! My son wouldn't be fighting for his life right now!" He looked over at Spinelli who was still reeling from the nasty punch he gave him.

"Get up!" Sonny grabbed him by the collar, "Jason take him and get the hell of this hospital!" He threw in front of Spinelli.

"Sonny…" Jason looked at him to stop this rage; it wasn't going to bring Michael back.

"No…You should have been doing your job, but you were too BUSY dealing with…" He was about to say Elizabeth, but she walked out of the trauma room.

Jason looked at Sonny to keep his mouth shut, but Sonny looked at Elizabeth, "But you were too busy dealing with…"

"That's enough!" Carly shouted walking towards Sonny knowing he would have revealed Jason and Elizabeth's secrets, "Michael was with you!"

"It was on you to protect him!" She watched him look away, "Don't you look away from me!" She grabbed his face forcing him to look at her, "This isn't Jason's fault or Spinelli's this is your fault!"

He looked at her knowing all along that it was his fault, his eyes slowly looked at her hers admitting to her that she was right.

"If anyone should leave this hospital it's you!" She pushed him away as she let go of his face.

"Carly," Elizabeth softly spoke.

She waited till she had Carly's attention, "We're gonna take him into surgery now."

Carly nodded before looking back at Sonny, "Don't ever blame anyone else but yourself for this." She looked away as Patrick and Robin pushed the gurney into the room, "Michael honey…" She walked past Sonny and joined Robin and Patrick at the elevator.

Sonny watched her touch Michael's hand as they waited for the elevator and slowly walked towards her, "Michael…" He softly spoke, "You're gonna make it…I know it."

He hesitantly put his hand over hers, "We'll be waiting for you." He leaned over to kiss Carly's hand.

The elevator opened and Sonny and Carly watched them push the gurney into the elevator, "Elizabeth?" Patrick looked for her.

Elizabeth looked away at Jason who she could tell was broken up over this, she only hoped that later after the surgery, that he'd let her in, that he let her take care of him.

"I'm coming," she joined them in the elevator.

Jason looked at the elevators until he no longer saw Elizabeth and then looked at Spinelli, "You should go home and get that fixed up."

"I'm sorry Stone…"

"Don't be sorry, it's not your fault, go home and find out who did this," Jason looked at him the upmost confidence that he could do it and that him leaving was probably for the best.

"Okay," he walked away with his head down walking towards Lulu, "Are you coming?"

She put her hands on his cheek that was starting to swell up, "Spinelli…" She felt sorry for him, but he felt more embarrassed than ever that he once again couldn't defend himself.

He walked past her grabbing they keys in his pocket as he walked out of the ER. Lulu looked at Carly insisting she go with him, "Spinelli…" She ran after him.

Jason walked over to Carly and Sonny, "Come on let's go to the OR."

Carly hung onto Jason as he looked at Sonny annoyed by his words and the way he hit Spinelli, but knew this wasn't who he was, "Come Sonny."

Sonny nodded as Jason put his arm around him, "I'm sorry man."

"Me too, me too." Jason frowned as they walked into the elevator, Jason once again holding the trio together.

When the elevator doors closed Johnny ran into the ER to another elevator that was just about to close and pushed the button of the floor his sister told him to meet him on.

Running out he saw a familiar face, "Leyla!" He ran to her but saw her frown, "Oh god is he dead?"

"No, but I can't tell you can information about him, he's in surgery," she walked away from him just as she saw Claudia come off the neighboring elevator.

"Johnny!" Claudia shouted.

As soon as he turned to her his eyes that would have normally welcomed her would now look at her with hate, "Claudia…" He pretended to be hapy to see her as he grabbed her arm, "What the hell went wrong?"

"Be careful John I think I pulled my stitches," she said quite loud to explain to anyone that was watching what perhaps was going on.

"You said it was a sure thing and now a little boy might die for what we did," he looked at her knowing all along he should have never let her convince him to go after Sonny.

Claudia looked up at him hating the fact that he just mentioned that, "I don't know what went wrong, but I will get to the bottom of this."

He nodded, "You better Claudia because Sonny is gonna want blood and I'm not giving him mine."

Don't forget to review!


	3. What we can live with

Chapter 3: What we can live with

**Author's Note:**

So I've decided that this story is going to be about four characters; Johnny, Lulu, Maxie and Spinelli. We'll have JoLu, Spinlu and Spinmax. I've got this great idea that I think will really work well with them, it's a story I'd love to see happen on the real GH. Once again don't forget to read and review! Thanks a bunch!

* * *

"Just calm down Johnny, no one is giving Sonny their blood, not you, not me…"

"Well I certainly am not gonna let him kill me," Trevor smiled knowing he had scared the shit out of them by sneaking up on them.

"Your plan back fired, now what are you gonna do?" Trevor smirked.

"What plan? Johnny, do you know of a plan?" Claudia glanced at Johnny.

"No I don't," he smiled at her before glancing back at Trevor, "But Trevor…"

"Johnny, its Trevors…"

"Right, but Trevors I know you must have had a plan…" Johnny knew he hated being made fun of.

"You better run Johnny because Sonny isn't gonna think of an outside party, he's gonna blame what happened to his son on you. So save yourself and run to him and say Claudia…" Trevor was about to finish when Claudia walked towards him pushing her finger against his chest.

"he will do no such thing because we all know you had it out for Sonny more than we did,"

"Would you testify that in a court of law Ms. Zacchara?" Alexis Davis had just exited the elevator hearing something along the lines that Trevor wanted Sonny dead.

"You damn right I would and so would Johnny," she looked at him who nodded, "In a heart beat."

Alexis looked at Trevor, "Is it true?"

"Oh come on Alexis, you know Sonny and I don't get a long, but that doesn't mean I want him dead or would plan the death of a child…"

"Michael is not dead yet," Alexis quickly shouted in annoyance that Trevor had accidentally hinted it.

"I'm sorry Alexis I didn't mean to…"

"Enough said, where were you tonight, all three of you?" She looked at Trevor then Claudia then Johnny.

"Hey I was having dinner with the mayor," Trevor looked at Claudia waiting to hear her brilliant story.

"I was at the Metro Court Hotel talking with Carly," she looked at Trevor who was waiting for her to fall under pressure.

"And you…" Alexis looked at Johnny.

"I was with Lulu Spencer at the Haunted Star, Spinelli arrived minutes later and told us what happened," he calmly explained.

"Ms. Davis if your not gonna arrest me can I go?" Trevor looked at her trying to work his charm on her.

"Sure, we'll call you if we need your alibi," Alexis looked at Claudia and Johnny, "You two are free to go too, I hope your alibis hold."

"Oh they will Ms. Davis," Claudia put her hand on Johnny's shoulder, "Come on."

She watched as they walked into the elevator, something wasn't right, the three of them knew something she told herself hoping that she wasn't becoming corrupted because she wanted someone quick to blame.

"That was close," Johnny leaned into Claudia.

"Don't worry John, no matter what happens I won't let you take the fall, I won't," she looked at him with tender eyes.

"I'm done Claudia," he told her, he was done with all of it, he hated Sonny, but he couldn't deal with the guilt of taking the man's son away, no one deserved that, not even his worst enemy.

"Oh John don't be getting soft on me now, I feel just as bad about it as you do, I want to cry in the corner of my room like I did when I was young. It breaks my heart that we did this, but that doesn't mean we should end…"

"Of course it does, violence won't solve anything, Sonny will come after me because I am who he'll want to blame, it's only right, an eye for an eye and frankly I feel so sick and ashamed that I want to die," he looked at her hating every second of this.

"No," she put her hands on his cheeks, "It was an accident, but you can't go to him and tell him the truth."

"Claudia…" He looked at her not wanting to keep this a secret; he didn't want to just hope it would go away and forget about it. He wanted to own up to what he had done, a man owns up to his mistakes, he was no coward.

"Just give it a couple of days," she begged, "Don't do anything yet, let's just wait and see."

In a burst of frustration he brushed her hands off his cheeks, "Just wait and see so that he can find out," he whispered, "That we were behind the hit that put his kid in here? If we wait he won't show us any good faith." He walked away from her in the elevator.

"He's not gonna show us good faith, he'll never forgive us for this Johnny, you have to understand that." She put her hand on his shoulder wanting him to turn to her so she could explain further, "There is no apology in the world that will fix this and there's no sense in telling him when we know the outcome, he will kill you."

"At least I'll be doing what's right," he walked out of the elevator and out the emergency room to where his limo was waiting for them. He would think about it over night and if Claudia still didn't have another solution than he would turn himself in. Of course he'd do this after he said his goodbyes to Lulu; he couldn't die without her knowing how he really felt about her.

* * *

Spinelli walked into Kelly's while Lulu waited in the car, "Mike?" He saw him at the counter with his back to him.

Maxie sitting at a table far away jumped at the sight of Spinelli, "Great you're here…" She had yet to notice that someone hit him until she got closer, "Oh my god Spinelli!"

She put her hands on his cheeks trying to check out the bruise.

"Hey Spin…oooh who gave you that shiner?" Mike looked at him like it must hurt.

Spinelli moved away from Maxie, "Um Mike what are you doing here?"

Mike walked over to him with some ice to put on his face, "Why shouldn't I be here?"

Spinelli frowned thinking that someone would have told him, "Mike I don't know how to tell you this but, Michael's been shot."

"What?" Mike looked at him appalled becoming speechless very quickly.

"He was shot in the head, he was with god father and the fashionista over looking a coffee shipment and…" He shrugged his shoulders not wanting to go into further detail.

"I've got to go," Mike took his apron off.

"Go I'll close up Mike," Maxie quickly offered feeling sorry for him.

"Thanks," Mike quickly ran out knowing the two could take care of things, the restaurant was pretty empty tonight so there was nothing to worry about.

Spinelli looked at Maxie flipping the 'open' sign and then took Mike's apron to the back; he was surprised that she had offered, but moreover wasn't asking him to help.

"What?" She looked up at him as she took her dishes.

"Nothing it's just that…"

"You know I'm not that selfish, I mean I am, but I can be generous at times and Georgie loved this place, she loved working for Mike, and because he was so good to her, I feel like I've got to do the same for him in return…" She explained herself as she walked over to the table he was near.

"I'm just surprised that you haven't asked me to help blond one," he looked at her waiting to be amused.

She raised her hand to his cheek, "Who hit you?"

He brushed her hand off, "No one. I ran into a door at hospital." He walked behind the counter helping himself to some of the chocolate chip cookies and sandwiches to that he and Lulu were gonna eat later.

"Spinelli usually you're a chatter box, you're like me you can't wait to spill so tell me…" She turned to him.

"It's not big deal okay?" He looked at her not wanting to discuss it.

"Fine!" She grabbed the rest of her dishes into the back, "But whenever your ready to talk just let me know…"

He turned to the back counter grabbing the soup that he knew Mike had and poured it into a container while curiously staring at Maxie who was trying to wash dishes, but obviously had no idea how to go about it.

Walking into the kitchen he looked at her as she grew frustrated trying to figure out how much soap to use, "Maxie."

She turned to him slightly frightened because it had gotten so quiet that she forgot he was there, "Spinelli…"

He took the dishwater soap from her hand turned the faucet on letting the sink fill up with hot water, "Then all you do is squirt a little in as the water rises."

"I'm sorry," she suddenly found herself feeling guilty.

"What are you sorry for?" He looked at her confused.

"It's just that I thought we were friends and I thought that meant we could tell each other everything," she looked at him putting her hand against his tender cheek.

"Sonny hit me," he turned the sink water off, "He got angry and started blaming me and Jason; I was just an easier target to take his frustrations out." He frowned feeling sorry for himself, but he didn't dare want Maxie or anyone else to.

"Okay so you put the gloves on take the sponge and just scrub stuff off the plate, then you rinse and place them on the rack, they can dry off without using a towel to dry them," he took the gloves and gave them to her.

"Can you stay?" She really didn't want to be here alone at night doing this for even though the text message killer was dead, she still feared someone might come after her.

"I would, but I've got Lulu with me and…."

"Go," she looked away.

"Maxie I want to," he could tell she was awfully disappointed that he was going back to Lulu.

"Just go," she put the gloves on.

"Please don't be mad at me, I don't think I can handle being the punching bag of anyone else tonight blond one, please," he wanted her to understand, but she just ignored him.

When she wouldn't talk to him he slowly backed away turning his back to her walking out with his head down, just another person he disappointed today.

She turned her head as he walked behind the counter grabbing the plates of food and as he walked out the door she walked over to the doorway of the kitchen watching him leave. When he was gone she walked over to the door taking the keys in Mike's apron and locked the place up while spying on him greeting Lulu as he entered the car, her sister had to compete with Lulu over Dillon and now she was going to have to compete with Lulu for Spinelli even if it was just for his friendship.

"Sorry it took so long," he put his seat belt on.

"No problem, did you get anything good?" She hadn't eaten anything all day so she was pretty hungry at the moment.

"Yes…" He hinted as he pulled out of the parking space.

He heard her quietly shout in excitement, "It'll be just like old times…"

"Yeah," he tried to say with the same enthusiasm as he drove out of the parking lot wishing in some way he was back at Kelly's with Maxie.

She smiled at him not able to tell that he wasn't thrilled about spending time with her; it had been such a long time since she had spent time with him that she didn't know his moods or his expressions.

"How are you feeling?" He asked leaning his back against the elevator pressing his fingers over his eyes.

"I think I should be asking you that," she could see he was tired.

He yawned, "I'm fine…I have to be…I've got a long night ahead of me."

He looked at her knowing she wanted to say something but he walked out removing his keys to Jason's apartment when he saw a small white package. He bent down to pick it up and instantly frowned with a tremendous feeling of sadness.

"Who's that from?" She asked as he got up from his knees.

"No one," he sniffled opening the door.

"Yeah right, come on Spinelli…" She tried to tease him.

He didn't want to yell at her, he didn't want to accidentally take his anger out on her, "It's for Jason." He simply said knowing that she wouldn't ask any questions.

"Oh," she followed him into the kitchen.

"Yeah," he put the food down on the table.

"I'm gonna call the Quartermaines and tell them I'm gonna stay here, if that's okay with you…" She turned around to look at him as she pressed the phone against her ear.

"Fine," he walked out of the kitchen with no emotion like he really wanted her to stay.

Walking to the desk he looked in a desk drawer for Jason's knife. He took the knife out and set it on the table and then placed the box on the table. He looked at the box, thinking of the contents and how it could have changed his relationship with her, how he could have saved her had he realized long ago that she loved him.

He spread his hands out along the desk and leaned on it with his head looking down and quietly sobbed. The moment he found her on the pavement still fresh in his mind, the instant he touched her hand and no longer felt her warmth, it was the second he realized that the one person who thought he was special he would never get the opportunity to tell her how much she meant to him.

It made him angry to this day, it made him absolutely furious that everyone he loved, that everyone he cared about, that everyone who deserved to live were dying all around; Emily, Georgie, Cooper and now Michael.

The turning in his stomach that was making him feel sick because of the deep mourning feelings he still had for Georgie made him stop thinking hateful thoughts. He stopped leaning against the desk and took the knife and cut open the box. He let the papers fall on the desk and then tossed the box in the trash. Sniffling he opened the papers which revealed two tickets to the show Wicked on Broadway in New York City. He stared at them remembering how after she finished the book she wanted to compare it the play which she heard had fantastic reviews. Without a fraction of doubt he went online and bought two tickets, made dinner reservations, hotel reservations in case they wanted to stay the night and then of course rented a limo, he wanted her to have a magical night because Georgie deserved that, she shined so much light in his life that he wanted to return the favor.

"Spinelli?" She had been standing there watching him go through something that was obviously traumatizing.

He quickly jerked his face and then grabbed the box out of the trash and put the papers back in it.

"Are you okay?" She asked even though she already knew the answer.

"Will you stop asking me that?" He opened the desk drawer putting the knife away.

"Well I just…" She didn't think it was wrong to ask how her friend was, but what she didn't realize was that Spinelli had dismissed her as his friend a long time ago.

"Because I'm obviously not fine Lulu," he walked to the closet placing the box right next to metal box with Jason's gun in it.

She was surprised that his anger allowed him to speak clearly and actually call her by her name.

He closed the door looking up at her who looked like she wanted to cry because his words were so harsh, "I mean what kind of question is that Lulu? What did you expect me to say? I'm fine? Would that be easier for you easier for you to deal with me?"

"No," she slowly nodded wondering what got into him.

"Because if you really wanted to know how I was doing, how I was feeling, if you really cared you wouldn't have waited eight months if not longer to take an interest in me again…"

"I know I hurt you," she walked towards him.

"No you did more than just that, you broke my heart and you know who was there to pick up the pieces? Huh? Georgie!" He shouted at her.

"Georgie was there for me and when I told you that crabby commando would break your heart, instead of listening to someone who you kept saying over and over again that I was your best friend, what did you do? You insulted me and then you went out with the guy who beat me up!"

"I know and I'm sorry," she sobbed walking towards him.

"No your not, that's the point I'm trying to make! You're not sorry!" He brushed her hand on his shoulder.

"The only reason you're here is because Johnny doesn't want to you. You and Johnny aren't working out as well as you thought which I told you would happen. Your not here to fix our friendship, you're here to make yourself feel better that there's at least one loser who still puts up with you, well Lulu, you've found your Jason…" He mocked her as Carly.

"You're not a loser," she walked towards him.

"Well I must be if a) I Couldn't see that you were never going to return my feelings, b) if I can't tell that Georgie loved me, and c) if Sonny can beat the crap out of me and at the end of the day I feel like I did something wrong…I'm pretty sure that's grounds for being loser…oh and don't let me forget reason d) I make a living hacking into computers…"

"Georgie loved you?" Lulu asked extremely surprised, not surprised that she fell in love with Spinelli because he was easy to fall in love with for his great friendship characteristics, but to hear that someone liked him was cute.

"Yeah and because she's dead, I'll never know what I could have had with her, maybe if hadn't been so hung up on you I could have realized it a little sooner, shoot…maybe she'd still be alive." He frowned at her.

"It's not your fault she's dead," Lulu stopped right in front of him, "You did everything you could to find the killer and you did, you got justice for her and she'll never forget that."

He looked down that the ground, "She might not be alive…"

She slowly cupped his cheek, "But she can rest peacefully knowing that you cared about her enough to find out who took her life away."

She gently forced him to look at her, "That's an honorable brave thing Spinelli and I hope that if I ever met her same fait that you'd do the same for me."

"I'm sorry that I haven't been the friend you deserve, that I wasn't here for you in your time of need, that I wasn't here for you to talk to or hold you, I'm sorry that I wasn't all the things that you've been to me, but I want to change that," she watched him slowly look into her eyes.

She placed her other hand on his cheek, "I don't want to fall into a relationship like Jason and Carly have, where you resent me, but help me out because you feel obligated to. I want us to be close like we used too, I want us to be able to talk to each other and tell each other everything. I want to be able to have your back as you would have mine. I want you in my life, forever and always…"

He gently placed his hand on her arm listening to every word that was trying to convince him that they could be friends again.

Softly rubbing his cheeks, "I never want to lose you again." She put her arms around him hugging him for the first time in a long time, feeling content and safe in his arms more than she ever had before.


	4. Where you are

Chapter 4: Where You Are

Author's Note:

Hey all! Sorry it's been a while since I've posted stuff, but i've been busy with school. Anyway this chapter is based on the song "Where you are" by Rie Sinclair. If you can you should listen to it while reading the chapter. IT's another cute chapter, I won't spoil it. Don't forget to review!

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Her hands tightened on the sheets, "Johnny…Johnny how could you…" She spoke in her sleep, "Things we'll never be the same…never…Johnny!" She shouted suddenly waking up in a cold sweat. She took a deep breathe trying to get control of the nightmare she just had before putting her hand over her mouth and running to the bathroom.

Spinelli was downstairs gently rubbing his eyes for his eye and cheek still hurt from Sonny's lovely punch. He closed his eyes hating that he was working these long hours again. Just as he started to type away he heard commotion from the bathroom upstairs. He quickly sprung up from his chair sprinting up the stairs and into his room where he saw a bathroom light on. He could hear her getting sick and suddenly found himself caring about her again, he found himself not only wanting to be the person that she used to lean on, but he wanted to take care of her.

"Lulu?" He slowly fell to is knees putting his hand on her back.

"Oh Spinelli…" She looked up at him before looking back down into the toilet.

"It's okay," he rubbed his hand soothingly along her back.

He pulled her hair back holding her hand, "You're alright…" He could hear how scared she was every time she had to throw up.

About twenty minutes later the sickness passed she looked up at him embarassed, "I'm sorry…I've given you more trouble…"

"Shh…" He smiled at her, "You're not trouble to me Lulu. You're not an obligation…" He joked.

She laughed with him, "Yeah sure I'm not…" She leaned against the bathtub.

"I'm a mess…" She placed her hand on her forehead.

He leaned next to her against the bath tub, "Aren't we all?" He comfortably put his arm around her.

She smiled at him before seeing that he wasn't really joking, that he really was a mess, maybe not on the outside, but on the inside, "Tell me what I've missed."

He looked away from her, "Are you done here?"

"For now," she hoped.

He nodded grabbing a towel for her, "Why don't you fresh up and I'll be back up here with some Pepto-Bismol."

She nodded seriously seeing that he wanted to talk, she could see a different part of him, a side that was letting her in like it never had before.

He turned to her, "Let me help you up…" He could see she was weak, her face was pale like earlier, there were dark bags under her eyes; she was tired. She put her arms around him as his strength picked her up.

She whispered in his ears, "Thank you for being so good to me." She lifted her head away from his chest both staring at each other, at how close they were, inches away from each other, "Thank you for coming back to me." He smiled at her slowly bring her to the sink.

"I'll be right back," he let go of her hand once her other hand was steadily on the counter.

He raced down the stairs quickly checking on a search he had run on his laptop and then sprinted into the kitchen and opened a cabinet that had the half empty Pepto-Bismol in it, he had used most of it for there were nights he often woke up in a cold sweat as he predicted Lulu had. He grabbed a glass of water and as he walked from the kitchen he saw her looking at his laptop.

"Um I was just…" She could see she had made him weary of her again, "I wasn't trying to…"

"Here," he gave her the water.

"Can I ask you something Lulu?" He motioned her to the couch.

"Spinelli I know what that looked like…" She put the glass on the table.

He looked at her to calm down because he wasn't going to reprimand her, "Lulu…"

"It's just that you saw me and you probably think that I was trying to delete evidence pointing to Johnny and…" She could see her ranting was bugging him.

"First I don't think you were deleting evidence because I know you know nothing about the cyber world…" He saw her face blush.

"But there is something I need to know, I want you to be honest because right now Lulu I'm a mess," he got up from the couch.

"You or Maxie or Jason, you might not be able to tell, but I am just barely hanging on and I need to know if you coming to me after months of you only coming to me when you need me to do something for you…" He looked away her looking at the ground putting his hands on his hips.

He put his hand on his chin, he couldn't believe he was actually speaking clearly, it was as if Georgie's death had done more for him than he ever thought it would, it had help him mature, but there was no doubt in his mind that he'd rather have Georgie than be mature.

"I need to know if you're here because you want to be friends again, because you want us to reconnect or if you're here hoping that I'll delete anything connecting to Johnny because if that's the truth, you can get out…" He pointed at the door.

"You can leave because I won't have….I won't have…I won't let a murderer get…" He started to breathe rapidly slowly putting his arm down that was pointing at the door.

She could see a sense of loss in his eyes, that innocence he once had in his eyes, those eyes that laid upon her when she fell apart in his arms that night she discovered the truth about her parents.

"Oh Spinelli…" She got up from couch.

He continued to utter the same words until she stopped in front him watching tears slide down his face.

"What happened?" She put her hand on his cheek wanting to understand him, wanting to understand why he was falling apart before her eyes.

He looked down at the ground whimpering while slowly walking backwards to lean against a wall, "She's dead…She's dead and it's my fault." He looked at her straight in the eyes scared to death of how she would react, scared to death of the memories that still haunted him of Georgie's death.

Slowly sliding down the wall as Lulu approached him, "Oh come here…" She put her arms around him preventing him from sliding any further.

"It's not your fault," she watched him look away from her and slam his fist into the wall.

He closed his eyes, "Yes it is. Stone Cold assigned me to find out who killed sweet Emily and if I had just not slept, if I had just paid more attention instead of…"

He stopped mouthing the things he could have done when she placed her hand on his cheek bring his attention to her, "Listen to me. You are not to blame for Georgie's death nor are you to blame for Emily's are Leticia's or Michael's accident. People die Spinelli, it's a fact of life, it sucks, but you get through it. You get through it with the people who care about you, who need you, who love you…"

His lip quivered and eventually his knees gave out, her words as honest as they were as much as he wanted to believe them, he found it hard not to blame himself because he found Georgie and never attempted to bring her back to life, he didn't apply CPR, he could have saved her and for some reason he had been to traumatized to save the person who thought he was worth her love.

She held onto him as he slid down the wall and eventually she was kneeling in front of him, "I'm here for you, just let me help you, let me help you the way you've always helped me."

He looked at her wanting her to mean every word she said and he finally realized she was speaking the truth when she pulled up next to him against the wall and motioned him to lie his head on her chest.

As he sobbed in her arms she leaned her head against his, "You're the best person I know, you didn't disappoint Georgie, not for one second, so you stop beating yourself up over this, you stop this because I know for a fact that Georgie wouldn't want you remembering her this way, she wouldn't want you thinking of what you could have done…"

"But I could have applied CPR, I could have loosened the rope around her neck…" He whined, "I could have done so much and I just held her in my arms…" He showed her his hands, "I held her cold face in my hands…I watched as her rosy cheeks faded away and I reported that she was de…the she was dead."

When she heard that Georgie had been murdered she had heard no story of how she had been found, but when she heard that he had been the one to find her, the one to call 911, Lulu suddenly understood him, she understood the ordeal, she understood his guilt, she understood is character change.

"Shh, you did the best you could…You did the best anyone could do, do me a favor…"

He looked up at her confused for this wasn't the time to ask him for one of her usual favors.

"Spinelli, will you forgive yourself? Will you do that for me and forgive yourself because you did nothing wrong…And I don't want to hear anymore that you did because you were a good friend to her, the best and she knew you were there for her whenever she needed you…"

He nodded before a short pause set in and when he had finally made peace with himself he looked back up at her, "You know it's kind of nice me having you to lean on…"

She playfully hit his shoulder, "Well I should have been here for you all along…" She giggled wiping the tears from her eyes, "Spinelli the reason I wanted to come here with you wasn't because of Johnny."

He leaned away from her chest and back against the wall listening to her.

"I mean it was because I'm so upset with him, I'm so angry with him…" She watched him look away from her, but quickly put her hand on his shoulder.

"You are the one person I can depend on, whenever I've been in trouble, whenever my heart has been broken you have been their to pick up the pieces to be the punching bag, you are here for whenever I need you and you never push me away…"

"I try you just don't take no for an answer," he joked before laughing to let her know he was kidding.

"The point is, if Johnny was behind the hit than he already knows he lost me, even though it was an accident, he knows that I could never be with him…"

Spinelli wiped the tears from his eyes taking a deep breath from the night, "But you want to…"

"If I went with him, I'd never see my family again would I?" She looked at him wondering if Jason, Carly, Sonny and even him, if they would be able to look her in the eyes and forgive her.

He nodded, "What are you gonna do?"

"I don't know," she slowly tried to get up.

He quickly got up before she did and helped her to the couch, "I guess I just need to wait and see, but Spinelli if Johnny did do it, if you find evidence connecting him to this…Will you be the first to tell me…"

He slight frowned, "I don't know Lulu…"

"Please, I know I'm asking a lot, but when Jason and Sonny find out they're gonna want to kill him and I just want to be able to…"

"Warn him?" He didn't want to start an argument for he knew that she really cared about Johnny, he wasn't sure if it was love, but he was smart enough to know that she'd want a chance to say goodbye.

"I know it sounds bad, but Spinelli…I care about him and I know despite what you all think…"

"Lulu I was with him when you got kidnapped, he's a…good…guy…" Spinelli almost choked on his words.

"Spinelli he saved Michael from the explosion at the cannery, he wouldn't just turn around the next say and kill him, it was an accident and I ask that you tell Jason, that you convince him not to act against anyone until you have proof…"

He could tell she was more than just worried about him, he was beginning to think she loved him, "Stone Cold will keep the god father sane, he'll make sure we find the right person. He doesn't want to start a war because he hopes he and fair Elizabeth can have a life together and that can't happen if we're at war with the Zaccharas."

She smiled in relief, "Thank you." She put her arms around him.

Leaning out she continued to smile, "Alright blonde one let's get you back to bed." He lifted her off the couch.

"Well this is a first…" She looked at him for he never would have done that when she was staying there the last time.

He smiled, "Well you've been tired lately, hitting men on the head with wrenches, falling in love with mobsters, fighting off Maxie…Is it all in a day's work?"

She rolled her eyes at him, "Spinelli what would I do with out you?"

"I don't know, look at where eight months has gotten you?" He teased back.

"In a lot of trouble," she looked at him disappointed in herself especially with how she treated Spinelli when she was with Logan.

He gently placed her on his bed, "Yes it has, but you'll be okay…as long as you LISTEN to me…" He stressed, "You'll be fine." He joked knowing she wouldn't because she never listens to him.

Still holding her in his arms their laughter died down and they stared at each other in the dark still some how being able to each other's eyes, "Okay well good night…" He finally let her warm body hit gently hit the sheets.

"Yea…" She smiled as he started pulling the sheets up on her.

"I'll see you in the morning," he smiled turning away from her.

"Wait…" She grabbed his hand in urgency.

"Is everything okay?" He turned to her in concern wondering if she felt sick again.

"Where are you going?" She thought he was gonna stay with her and sleep in the same bed.

"I'm gonna go back to work…" He smiled, but could tell she wanted him to stay.

"Spinelli you need rest…" She pulled herself up in the bed, "You just had a break down and I…I don't blame you…" She could tell she had slightly offended him, "But you need to get some sleep."

"I'll got to sleep on the couch," he started to move again but she grabbed his hand.

"I don't want you to sleep on the couch, Spinelli I'm not giving up on this…" She looked at him like he was fighting a losing battle.

"Alright…Carly taught you well…"

"Hey…" She playfully hit him.

He started to lean back when she stopped him, "Aren't you gonna put your pajamas on?"

"Um guys don't have pajamas…" He looked at her as he tried to lay back.

"Your right, but I want you to be comfortable…"

To stop her ranting, he through his shirt off and then quickly took his shorts off so that he had his boxers on, "Okay is that better?"

"I just want you to be comfortable…" She teased him like she wasn't forcing him to do anything she didn't want to do.

"Great then, let's go to sleep…" He leaned back on the comfortable pillows. He giggled at how relaxed he was.

"What?" She playfully put her hand on his chest, "What's so funny?"

"I'm just relaxed that's all…" He smiled before looking down at where she had her hand; she had never touched his chest.

"I'm glad, good night!" She kissed his cheek and then leaned away and curled up on her side of the bed.

"Good night," he looked away from her turning to his side knowing that months ago he wouldn't have been able to handle being this close to her and now he was, he was almost half naked with her in his bed wearing one of his shirts. It was a fantasy that had come true in the most untimely way, he only hoped that with taking Lulu back, he wouldn't fall for her again.

The next chapter will have Spixie and Johnny! Don't forget to review!


	5. A deadly plan

Chapter 5: A deadly plan

Johnny prayed all night for the Corinthos boy while he silently beat himself up mentally and physically over his need to have Sonny dead, his need to have power and money because at the end of the day it didn't matter, the money, the power, Sonny, it all didn't matter because a little boy could die and he'd be the reason why.

Looking up at the ceiling while lying on his bed he glanced at clock, it was four in the morning and he was just beginning to settle himself down into a sleep, but just as he closed his eyes his thoughts turned to Lulu.

He hadn't thought much of her because the guilt of killing a child was consuming his mind, body and soul and when he eventually began to listen to his sister's words to just wait a few days his mind drifted to his argument with Lulu.

"_If you want me back have the guts admit it and don't put it all on me."_

"_It is on you," he walked towards, "You want me, but you're too damn ashamed to admit it."_

_He watched her look away shoveling more papers into an envelope, "Lulu you've been doing this since the first day we met…Changing your mind back and forth. One minute you're with me and the next your telling me to get out of your lif…"_

_She quickly turned around to show he was wrong, "That's because one minute you're a sweet piano playing guy and the next you're some gun totting whack job…"_

"_Oh so you rather I lie to you and pretend to be somebody I'm not."_

"_No! No! I'm sick of it! I am sick of not knowing how to feel about you! Of not wanting to think about you and that's all I do and then promising myself that I'm not gonna see you anymore, but you keep popping up into my life!"_

"_Than why the hell do you keep getting up in my face and judging me! You think you know me!"_

"_Oh get over it!" She walked away from the bar stools in a fit of anger hearing him repeat that she didn't know him at all. _

"_Get over!" She pointed her finger in his face, "You think you're so mysterious, but I see right through you. You want me to chase you around; you're jerking me around on purpose."_

"_Oh right so it's my fault!"_

"_It is your fault!" She screamed._

"_Then forget about us!" He shouted pretending like he really wanted her to, but deep down he didn't want her to forget about them at all._

"_I want to! I want to forget about you, but you won't let me!" She pulled him into a kiss. _

He quickly opened his eyes tracing his lips, oh how good it felt to kiss her yesterday, how good it felt to be near her again, to smell her perfume, to taste the lip gloss on her shiny pink lips. He missed her, he would never admit it, but he missed not having Lulu Spencer in his life and now it was too late to have the future he once dreamed they might have.

Standing outside the door Claudia looked at the guards, "He better be in here when I walk in boys."

"Don't worry ma'am, we've been checking in on him every hour on the hour, the boy has been awake all night," the man assured her.

"Good because if not it's your head," she pointed at him knowing she scared them still.

"Yes Ms. Zacchara." His cheeks turned red as did the other guards.

She playfully touched the man's chest, "Listen up Chester…" She smiled before putting her other hand on the door to peek in.

"I'm still here…" Johnny shouted in an annoyed tone before looking to see that it was his sister.

He pulled himself up in the bed, "Sorry."

She closed the door behind her walking towards him, "Johnny…" She could see the worry ness in his face, the guilt, the sadness, the fear that he was becoming like his father, the look in his eyes like every time he blinked could be his last.

"It's gonna be okay," she sat on the bad placing her hand on his cheek, "I won't let anything happen to you."

"Claudia, I did this, okay? I won't have you or anyone else taking blame for what I've created," he turned away lying back on the bed.

"Lulu was right," he uttered under his breath.

"What?" She wasn't sure what he just said, but it sounded important.

"Lulu asked me to walk away, she asked me to stop this fight before it starts, those were her exact words…" He clenched his jaw trying not to flash back to the moment she walked away from him.

"Do you wish you had?" She looked at him sincerely caring about her little brother's heart.

"Yeah!" He sprung up from the bed, "Had I known that I'd be responsible for killing a kid…"

"He's not dead," she got up from the bed.

"Not today he isn't!" He shouted for he should have known, he just should have known that nothing good could happen from killing Corintos.

"Forget about the accident," she didn't want to seem cold and the look of his face it appeared she was being exactly that, "You know what I mean Johnny, just forget that he got hurt, do you regret going down this path?"

"It doesn't matter now does it? Because whether I had chose to be at peace with Sonny or runaway from my duties here, Lulu would have never been with me. This is who I am, I am my father whether I like it or not, I have become him, it was always unavoidable." He frowned at her with anger before walking out onto the terrace.

She watched as he walked out onto the balcony and leaned his hands against the fence, "John." She quietly said as she put her hand over her mouth feeling sorry for her brother because she had influenced him to do this, she had forced him down this path, she and Trevor.

Walking onto the balcony she put her hands on his shoulders, "I will fix this John, you will get her back, I'll find away to make this up to you." She planted her chin on his shoulder as she touched his hands, "Your not like him, your not like dad because he didn't have a heart, you do, you have more heart than the rest of us."

"I wish I could believe that Claudia, I wish I could believe that, but right now I can't," he gently picked her hand up and kissed it as he watched the sun rise in the corner of his eye.

He looked back at the sky realizing it was almost five in the morning and he had a lot to do before he admitted everything to Sonny, "I better get ready."

"Ready?" She thought they might have resolved this already.

She followed him back into the room, "You're not going to Corinthos. I thought we agreed that…"

"No you did, I can't wait any longer, the guilt is consuming me and it hasn't even been an entire day yet," he knew these weren't the words he wanted her to hear.

"Johnny, he's alive," she knew he had yet to know if the boy had survived the surgery, "He's alive and that's all that Jason and Sonny are gonna care about."

"Is he gonna wake up? Has he woken up yet?" Johnny asked knowing that if Michael wasn't going to wake up than the boy was dead anyway, which meant he really had killed the boy.

She was hesitant for she didn't really know to be honest, "They're waiting on tests, I know that much, but they should know something by the end of today…" She knew it would be more like a few more hours when they would know the full severity of his condition.

Johnny looked at her seeing right through her fib, but pretended to believe her, "Fine by the end of today."

"John I know that face," she walked up to him.

He stopped the act, "Claudia, you said it yourself; I'm a dead man either way, he will never forgive us for this which means unless evidence shows up pointing to a third party or to Trevor, Sonny will come gunning for me…"

"When you put it that way there's like no hope for you or the rest of us," she slightly laughed before putting her hand on his arm, "This is what I want you to do."

"No," he stood there not motioning with her to the bed.

"John, give me time to clear your name, give me time to talk to my people and get something together to by us time,"

"Time for what? To try to kill Corinthos again? Cause it went so well the first time?"

"No, time to get you out of here, out of Port Charles." She looked at him very serious.

"I can't leave for Port Charles, I can't leave New York, I already look like a suspect if I leave or disappear then…"

"Who said you were gonna leave? Or disappear for that matter?" She talked like she was pulling this entire idea out of her ass.

"What do you mean?" He looked at her intrigued.

"I mean what if we faked your death," she could see a slight interest in his eyes.

She pulled him down to her bed, "You know why this is gonna work? Because if you die then we no longer look like suspects in Michael's shooting, it'll look as if a third party is targeting all the families in Port Charles."

"No it'll look as if Sonny and Jason retaliated, they could go to jail, I've already cost them Michael I won't cost them the rest of their lives," Johnny was sure it wouldn't work.

Claudia shrugged her shoulders, "Maybe, but the PCPD will know that after Jason got away with Alcazar's murder he wouldn't risk his freedom again. Sonny and Jason have alibis, they haven't had the chance to be alone which means that there would be no time for them to conduct a way to kill you…"

He looked at scarce of the idea for the last time he listened to her, the last time he had gone through with one of her plans it had ended in tragedy, it was too risky in his mind, but he never the less went along with it, "Until we have a better idea."

"Great!" She hugged him extremely happy that she had convinced him from basically killing himself.

"What should I do?" He wasn't sure if he should stay away in hiding for a few days to avoid the chance of running into Sonny and Jason and even Lulu.

"Stay here, I think it's out safest bet, stay here and give me time to get information," she got up from the bed.

He nodded trusting her, but in a way doubting her for he couldn't see how faking his death would do anything but bring him trouble.

"But Claudia," he turned to her as she approached the door.

"Yeah?" She slightly smiled at him.

"Um nothing," he changed his mind for he was about to once again ask her that if their plans appeared to be too risky or that they wouldn't work than he still wanted to come clean. He still wanted to do what was right and admit that I put the hit on Sonny, that he was the one responsible for Michael's condition.

"Okay, get some rest," she walked out of his room before whispering to guards outside.

"Make sure there are guards posted outside his window, by his car and at this door at all times. Follow him everywhere, don't be obvious, but keep close tabs on him." She started to walk away before remembering one more thing, "Oh and by the way if absolutely no visitors." She looked at the cold as if she might kill them if her orders were not followed, "No one shall see Johnny unless they are approved by me first."

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Don't forget to review! Oh and I promise the next chapter will have Spixie.


	6. Your Body is Wonderland

Chapter 6: Your body is a Wonderland

**Author's Note:**

Hey guys this chapter is just great! Listen to the song "Your Body is a Wonderland" by John Mayer, if you can, they'll be a hint as to when to start listening to it. Anyway don't forget to review and I hope you like it!

* * *

Spinelli turned over in bed with his eyes cracked open to see the clock on the night stand, "Oh shoot! Lulu!" He turned over to see what he had feared all along, "Never mind cause your not here…" He frowned realizing that she had once again disappointed him.

"Can I say I told you so?" Maxie stood in the doorway staring down at Spinelli's half naked body who she never thought would be so appealing.

As she walked in watching him roll on his back she tried to not seem interested in what it would be like to touch his chest, "Did she tell you how sorry she was that she ignored you for practically a year…" She stopped at his bed as Spinelli placed his hands on his chest feeling like an idiot.

"I fell for it, I fall for it every time," he frowned, "And because of her I've lost…" He looked at the clock, "At least four hours of work."

She laughed graciously falling to the bed, "Spinelli it's seven in the morning."

"Right," he quickly said as if he was usually up this early.

"Which means you've got plenty of time starting with helping me with this thing Kate wants me to do," she smiled shrugging her shoulders wondering if he'd be up for it.

When she saw his reaction she quickly took it back, "I mean only if you want to, I know you're busy with trying to find out who shot Michael, but I just thought that…"

"Maxie," he smirked and she suddenly stopped ranting.

She looked at him slightly worried as to what he was going to say for lately whenever he spoke perfect English it was usually right before he had a burst of frustration for the recent events, mainly Georgie's death.

"Um that was stupid of me, I shouldn't have come by," she sprung up from the bed.

She turned to him, "Um I'm gonna be at Kellys tonight I sort of told Mike that I would help him close up for the next couple of weeks while he's helping Bobbie with Morgan and so if you want to talk…"

She became more nervously as he watched her, "Okay, I'm gonna go…" She turned away from him beginning to walk to the doorway.

"Wait," he quickly got off the bed grabbing her hand.

"Yeah?" She turned to him catching his soft eyes, eyes that she had looked into when she was falling apart, eyes that she had seen in the moonlight of their investigations, eyes that had let her see who he really was.

"You didn't come here to ask me for help…" Since having spent time with her, he knew, perhaps more than he ever thought he wanted to, he knew that she did in fact have a heart.

"No…" She slowly nodded, "It's just that…I can see you're not okay."

"I'm not," he saw her looked down at the ground thinking he was implying that her presence might have annoyed him, "but I…I think I could be…" He looked at her wanting her help, wanting her to help him the way he had helped her when Georgie died.

She looked up at him seeing this was his way of telling her he'd like to let her in, "Does Jason have a coffee pot?"

"I think so," he slowly smiled.

"Breakfast?" She suggested that they could talk.

"Sounds great to me I'm starving which means it's probably a good thing Lulu left," he walked away from her to his dresser, "She probably would have killed me with her cooking."

"Well then maybe I should go," she teased as she watched him grab a white Hanes t-shirt.

He put his arms into the t-shirt and was just about to put it on.

He slightly chuckled, "I'll make breakfast." He put his head into the hole of the shirt, "You just can't tell anyone."

"And why not?" She put her hands on his hips.

As he pulled his shirt down he looked up at her, "Because Stone Cold and the God Father think I'm a hopeless idiot."

He walked towards her and then stopped as he got to her, "They don't trust the jackal's instincts."

"I mean I don't get it," he shrugged his shoulders, "What is there about me that screams idiot?" He grinned.

She laughed while crossing her arms, "Gee I don't know what it could be."

They stared at each other both grinning before bursting out in laughter, "Spinelli!" Maxie shouted in his annoying humor of himself that she couldn't get enough of, it was one of the main things she thought was cute about him.

He motioned to the doorway he continued laughing, "Wow…" His laughter came to a halt.

"What?"

"Is it okay to be doing this?" He stopped at the foot of the stairs, "Laughing?"

"Spinelli the only way I can justify this is to know that wherever she is, that she'd want us to be happy…If I don't look at it that way then I don't think I'd be able to get through the day."

He nodded knowing he should do the same thing, "So please tell me since you started working for Kate that you haven't started to starve yourself like the models in her Couture magazine?"

"If you're asking if I'll eat pancakes or waffles or just simply eggs and bacon, yes, just as long as the food is good, I won't waste calories…"

"Oh it'll be good," he insisted she wouldn't be disappointed.

"I think I'll be the judge of that," she teased him with slight flirtation as she started walking down stairs.

He looked at her back with curiosity wondering what her underlining words met, "Spinelli don't keep me waiting…"

"Of course not fair one," he jumped down the stairs, "Go get what you need my help with for Kate and meet me in the kitchen."

She smiled that he wanted to help her, "Are you sure?" She didn't want him to think that she only wanted to be around him when she needed something.

"Yes…" He winked before sprinting into the kitchen.

She walked over the couch and set her briefcase on it removing the folder with the article in it that Kate wanted her to edit, "Okay so…." She entered the kitchen to see Spinelli with a chef's hat on and an apron.

"Welcome to my kitchen Ms. Jones…" He pulled out a chair.

"Spinelli…" She wanted to laugh, but looked at the table that was sweetly set for two, "You didn't have…"

"Aw Ms. Jones I won't have that talk in my restaurant…" He emphasized in a French accent.

"Now please sit down," he motioned and she sat down extremely surprised.

He removed the pencil from his ear and pulled out a note pad, "So what would you like?"

"Hmm seeing as I don't have a menu in front of me…" She rubbed her chin.

"Not so fast…" He walked over to a small dry erase board and took the marker writing today's menu.

She quietly laughed, "Spinelli…" She looked at him like he didn't have to do this.

"Okay…" He distanced himself from the board, "So ma'am what'll it be?"

She looked at it completely amused by his act, "There's so much to choose from…"

"Oh well…" He walked towards her slowly bringing himself to her height while putting his hand on the back of her chair and his other hand on the table, slowly leaning in, "I've heard the chef's special is pretty good."

"Then French toast it is…" She looked at him.

"Splendid," he walked away from the table and walked to the cabinet.

"You know…" She didn't know the words to describe what he was doing.

He looked at her while walking to the fridge to get the necessary materials, "What?"

"I don't know, I don't know yet, but when I figure it out…"

"You'll let me know?" He formed a sweet smile.

She nodded not able to place her finger on it, but there was something about him that just made her feel like she was all the things Georgie said she was.

"Am I gonna make that coffee?" She started to get up but he motioned her to sit down.

"Stone Cold has a very outdated coffee make…" He pointed and she nodded, "Then I guess will make a run to Starbucks before we go to the hospital."

"You really think I should go to the hospital?" He looked at her sort of pointing to his purple bruise.

"Well it's whatever you want to do, I mean we can stop by Kelly's or go to Kate's and you can give me some company…" She hinted like it could be fun.

"Um I could meet you at Kellys tonight, don't get me wrong I'd love to hang out with you all day, but…"

"But you have to find out who shot Michael…" She was disappointed by the revelation she made.

"Yeah, but hey…" He sat down with her for a few minutes, "Just because I'll be working on that for most of my time doesn't mean that you and I can't hang out…I need someone to take my mind off these matters…" He smiled as if she was the one that could take him away from his dark work.

He walked back to the stove where he removed a frying pain, "So what's your assignment?"

"You want to talk about it now?" She looked at him like she wanted to watch him in action, like she wanted to get to know him oddly enough.

"Yeah, why not? It'll make the time go by," he looked over his shoulder before walking over to the radio, "You mind if we listen to some tunes?"

"Not at all," she smiled while opening the folder.

She saw him look over his shoulder at her to explain what she had to do, "So Kate asked me to read this article on women dating, but she doesn't like the title and she basically wants me to edit the title and see if it's something worth putting in the magazine…" She looked up for his input.

"So did you read it?" He looked at her as he made his way back to the counter and quickly realized she hadn't read it, "Okay why don't you read it, take notes on things that irritate you or things that make you cheer 'girl power'!" He slightly laughed, "And then we'll discuss what you should do."

"But don't you need to read it?" She looked at him never obviously doing what he suggested for her to do.

He smiled at her, "I want you to do it first…"

"Why?" She looked at him not really wanting to comply.

"Because," he turned to her with his hands behind his back.

Standing across from her with the table dividing them he leaned over, "Because I wouldn't be a good friend if I did it for you." He smirked at her seeing her annoyed face.

"Fine…" She rolled her eyes slightly tapping her foot against the floor.

"Eh you'll thank me later," he winked before his ears perked up as the radio began playing "Your Body is a Wonderland".

"I doubt it Spinelli, I never did stuff like this in high school, I mean I did, but I didn't do it," she expressed and he of course knew that.

"Well now's the time to learn, you can do it," he smiled before revealing a small plate from behind his arms.

**We got the afternoon; you got this room for two**

He placed it on the counter and glanced at her face, her expression said it all. No one had ever done something like this for her before.

The small plate had fruit in the shape of a face, banana slices outlines the plate while slices of oranges served as her eyelids and mouth, grapes were her eyes, a strawberry was her nose and slices of apple served as her hair.

She looked up at him in awe, a part of her was slowly falling for this man, his gentleness, his humor, his sweetness was something she had never experienced before. Sure every guy she had been with brought their own uniqueness to the table in making her feel special, but none of them had gone as far as this, taken as much time out for her, she wondered why, she wondered why he would go to the trouble for her.

**One thing I've left to do**

"Just when I think I've got you figured out," she looked up at him seeing his playful grin that made her want to blush, but she didn't.

**Discover me****  
**

"There's a lot you don't know about me," he leaned away getting back to the stove.

**Discovering you**

"Oh yeah?" She watched him walk away, "Enlighten me."

He looked at her surprised by her vocabulary, "Enlighten you?"

"Spinelli I'm blonde whose a little handicapped in reading and writing and grammar and conventions, but…" She insisted she knew something, "But I do know how to use words properly so don't look at me surprised that I use such vocabulary…"

"Ah Fair Maxie I would never insult your intelligence like that," he tried to keep a straight face knowing he pretty much just did so.

"Uh huh," she looked back down at the plate wondering what to eat first.

He looked away from her to crack some eggs into the frying pan while he took another frying pan and began heating it up, "Are you reading the article?" He heard silence but wasn't sure if she was working or just staring at him.

"Yes," she said with slight annoyance as she wrote notes.

He smiled even though she gave him a little hostility; he knew at the end of the exercise she'd feel good about herself, he liked seeing her face light up, he liked seeing the realization on her face that if she could do anything if she put her mind to it.

Spinelli didn't listen to much music like this, but the song, the sweetness, the calmness and the lyrics just put him in a good a mood.

**Your body is a wonderland **

He slowly skated from left to right getting the ingredients he needed to cook, "Your body is a wonderland…" He slightly sung while gently hitting his hands against the counter.

She looked at him as the song had some how made her look at him different and as John Mayer repeated the words, she found herself agreeing with him, Spinelli is a wonderland.

If her attention wasn't already on Spinelli, it was now as he softly started singing the next verse.

"You want love, we'll make it…" He picked up a few eggs, "Swim in a deep sea of blankets." He began juggling them in his usual playfulness, "Take all your big plans and break 'em."

"This is bound to be a while," his eyes wandered to hers who quickly looked down at her papers. In some odd way he had a feeling that she had probably been watching him and he almost wanted the satisfaction of catching her stare at him, no matter what the stare looked like he wanted to know he could get her attention.

He wandered from the counter with his back to her until he stood at the middle of the table.

**Damn Baby, you frustrate me**

He quickly spun around and caught her in the act, but it wasn't like he imagined as his eyes looked into hers slowly speaking the words, "I know you're mine, all mine, all mine…"

**But you look so good it hurts sometimes**

Two eggs hit the floor with their cracks snapping him out of the trance she had pulled him into, "Crud…" He looked down, "Well I can't juggle in front of you anymore…"

She was speechless, something about the way he looked at her as he sung the song, his mouth, his voice so calming, so soothing, she found it a little attractive…okay a lot attractive perhaps even sexy she suggested to herself.

"I guess not," she stood up from her chair watching him mop up the eggs with his towel.

As he got up from his knees he put the mess into the trash not singing the song anymore, he enjoyed listening to it more than he did singing it and looking like a complete dufus in front of her.

Walking back over to the counter the song was over and he saw she was still staring at him, "If you must, laugh at me now…"

Too be honest she couldn't, him losing focus and breaking a few eggs wasn't the reason she was staring at him.

"Don't look at me, read that article…" He pointed slightly laughing at the awkward moment that had formed.

She quickly looked back down as if she was embarrassed that he had caught her starring at him, but as he turned his back to her at the counter she looked up at him again watching him make scramble eggs.

Minutes just as he put the spatula down and began making the French toast which he knew wouldn't take long to cook he heard her frustrations and a pen hit the table, "So what's the verdict?"

"Kate can't put this in her magazine," she looked up Spinelli.

"Oh?" He pushed the toast around.

"Why?" He could see her face in the corner of his eye.

"Well first the guy is completely wrong," she started listing some points, "The article should be called, a guys version of the break up."

Spinelli turned to her after she ranted a while longer about the things she hated about the guys article, "You make some valid points, maybe you should write your own take on this piece…."

She laughed at his suggestion, "You mean write a response? And do what with it?"

"Kate could put it in her magazine, publish his article with your title and then you title your article which would be on the next page, 'A girl's version of the break up."

He could see she was already hesitant about the idea, "I don't know Spinelli like I said I'm not good with…"

He scrapped the eggs to the plate and then slid the toast to it, "I'll help you."

"Really?" She said with excitement for this could really seal the deal for her spot at Crimson Magazine.

"Yeah I'll edit it, you write it to the best of your ability and I'll make sure it meets Kate's standards…" He turned to see what she thought of the idea.

"I'll give it a thought," she wandered her eyes to what he had going on with the plates.

"Ah no peeking," he tried to stop her from the counter.

"Spinelli let go of me," she felt his arms around her which made her a little ticklish.

"Um security…" He playfully pretended to motion to invisible policemen.

"Spinelli!" She annoying laughed at his game.

"Ma'am I'm afraid I'm gonna have to remove you from the premises…" Spinelli threw her over his shoulder feeling her playful pounding on his back.

Tossing her onto the couch he accidentally fell on top of her catching her glance as his face was inches from hers. He stared at her not knowing what to do; moments like these had been occurring so frequently that it became unbearable sometimes wondering during their brief silent pauses if he was supposed to kiss her.

"Um…" He told himself to think of something, but she did it for him, "The…" She barely started the sentence and he was already jumping to conclusions to lean away.

"I'll be right back," he darted into the kitchen where he leaned against the counter trying to take a deep breath. He had to think of her as a friend and nothing more. She had lost more than him and he knew if she tried to start a relationship with him it wouldn't be because she could see herself with him or because she had feelings that could grow into love, no, he told himself. He told himself she was still hurting and mourning for Cooper like he was still trying to get oer Georgie and he wasn't about to start a relationship for the wrong reasons, he had seen too many people do that and if someone like Stone Cold Jason could barely take the heart ache then he knew he'd never be able to handle one himself.

Maxie leaned back on the arm of the couch wondering why she found herself so close to him, it was something she'd have to ask Robin later, could she have fallen for Spinelli during their investigation, could she have feelings for him and would Georgie be okay with that? Would she be okay, knowing that she had fallen for the same guy she had loved?

Adding a few more touches to the plates he tucked the folder under his arm and entered the living room with the plates, "Close your eyes Madame…"

"Spinelli…" She whined putting her hands over her eyes.

"I'm sorry, requests of the chef…" He teased.

Setting the plates on the coffee table he put the folder down next to his plate, "Okay open your eyes…"

She opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was the two slices of toast cut in hearts and a small scoop of vanilla ice cream to go with blue berries, "I think I'm gonna have to meet the chef." She looked up at him at the friend Georgie had passed on to her and suddenly knew the charm her sister had talked of for hours.

"That can be arranged," he smiled picking up her fork and handing it to her, "But you should probably taste it first."

She took the fork from him, "It looks so pretty…I'm afraid to touch it."

He knew exactly what she meant for every time he looked at her he saw what she just said, "Yeah…"

She caught his glance, his implication that she was beauty that he was afraid to grasp, "Thank you."

He softly smiled, "Your welcome, anytime."

He motioned her to take a bite and she hesitantly cut into the toast not knowing what to expect, but the second her lips touched the syrup, the second it slid into her mouth she melted. He wasn't just a great listener or a great friend or the smartest guy she ever met, he was fabulous cook.

"Oh my god Spinelli, I could love you just for your cooking!" She smiled in pleasure cutting another piece and shoving it into her mouth before realizing what she just said.

"I mean you're just wonderful…I mean this taste wonderful…" She kept tripping over her words.

He smiled, "I'm glad." He watched her mix the ice cream with the toast completely enjoying every second of it. It was something they both needed, they needed time to breathe, time to laugh time to remember what exactly life was all about in a world that seemed so dark lately. And as they breathed, as they laughed, as they remembered how to live, they realized life was all about finding someone to share times like these with.

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Awe that was cute! Don't forget to review! Thanks!


	7. Protecting a man

Chapter 7:

**Author's Note:**

Hey so I promise next chapter will be JoLu. Please don't forget to review, I like to know what you guys are thinking. The story is a little slow right now, but it should pick up after the next chapter where I'll fast forward a couple of days.

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Luke put his glass down on the counter, "Ah…" He looked up at the tall brown haired woman in a red dress walking towards the bar, "Good Morning Ms. Zacchara."

"Can I get you something? Maybe Vodka?" He knew alcohol sometimes soothed the guilty mind and Ms. Zacchara had something to feel guilty about.

"I'm fine and I'm busy, what do you want?" Claudia walked closer to him before stopping at the counter.

He waited till she put her hands on the counter raising her hand to her chin, "Ugly business shooting a twelve year old."

She took a seat, "I didn't shoot anybody's kid, I was Carly when she found out."

"Really?" Luke knew she was lying from the minute her mouth opened, "You know I'm thinking maybe it was a bogged hit. Maybe some knew kid in town didn't know the right people to get the job done right."

"If you're thinking about blaming this on my brother he had nothing to do with it," she had to keep a brave face.

Luke nodded like she had no idea what she was getting herself into, "Corinthos has been known to shoot first and ask questions later in this situation I wouldn't blame him someone is gonna pay and I want to make sure Lulu is no where near your brother when all that goes down."

Lulu walked down the hall hearing her father's threats against Claudia, "Since when did you start policing my life?"

Luke looked at his some what stupid daughter when it came to mob affairs, he could see that look on her face, destined to do whatever it takes to clear Johnny's name, "Gum drop I wasn't expecting you, it's six in the morning."

She walked further into the room specifically looking at Claudia who she knew was the one that had landed Johnny in this mess, she and Trevor, "What are you doing here?"

"Ask your father he invited me?" Claudia grinned at Luke knowing that he too didn't want Lulu to know of their business.

"Is Johnny okay?" Lulu asked wanting to see him herself despite the argument they had here yesterday, despite the words that had been said, she needed to see him, the real him.

As much as Claudia couldn't stand the girl his brother liked she did like the fact that she was concerned about him because it meant that she liked him and if she liked him it meant that she would do anything to protect him, "He's fine, thank you for asking."

"Fine is relative, Corinthos is going to be looking to avenge Michael and Johnny is the first logical target…" Luke found himself unable to even finish his sentence before Lulu started saying how innocent Johnny was.

"Johnny is not responsible and I can prove it, he was here at the Haunted Star with me when Michael was shot," she explained her alibi and her father looked at her with disappointment, she had to know that mobsters don't kill; they hire people to do it for them.

"We didn't even know about it until Spinelli found us," she looked down at the counter remembering the heated moment from yesterday, the kiss they shared and how close they were to getting back together until Spinelli dropped the bomb that brought her back to reality.

He knew he raised his daughter to have more smarts than this, "You don't think he was using you as an alibi?"

"Johnny was supposed to meet with you remember?" She looked at him to stop what he was doing to stop giving her the third degree once again about her relationship with him.

Luke looked off in the distance trying to remember if she was right while Claudia once again stated, "Johnny had nothing to do with this."

Lulu looked at how hard Claudia was pushing the issue, "Can we skip the father daughter mini-drama here?"

"Luke this is what I think happened, someone heard of the tension between my family and Sonny and took advantage of the situation, that's it, it was a third party," she had to make sure her theory was clearly stated and made perfect sense.

"Maybe or maybe you tried to kill Sonny and the kid got in the way," he knew his words stung by the way she looked away from him.

When Lulu heard the silence she began to get worried, her father knew how to hit Claudia in ways to make her sound weak and every time he talked he made Claudia more and more uncomfortable which was beginning to make Lulu uncomfortable.

"I play rough, but I only play rough with grownups," Claudia looked at Luke extremely serious, "As far as I'm concerned in my perfect world kids wouldn't be let out without guards, in fact kids don't even belong in our business, if a guy wants a family, wants a marriage…he should have thought about it long before getting in."

Lulu put her hand over her mouth suddenly feeling a little hot and nauseous. Hearing Claudia basically imply that no man should mess with women and children because they'll always be open up to violence, it made her feel like a happy ending with Johnny would never happen.

"But some guys want to have it all and in respect for the code I would never pull a gun with a child in the line of fire."

"Well maybe you wouldn't, but something tells me that whoever you hired did," he continued pegging away and Lulu became fed up.

The small toxic liquid crawling up Lulu's throat went down for a few minutes and Lulu cleared her throat, "Dad why won't you believe her? Do you want Sonny to kill Claudia and Johnny both?"

Luke looked at her like this was beside the point hearing more filth come from Claudia's mouth, "Hey what happened was a tragedy."

Claudia got up from the bar stool, she wasn't about to take anymore of this crap from him today, "I had nothing to do with this and neither did my brother."

Luke at last pretended to show like he believed her, "Okay…" He nodded, "Say I believe you."

"Well you've known Corinthos for a long time so if you want to put a good word for Johnny and me I'd make it worth your while," Claudia smiled implying him to think about it.

Like that was going to make a difference, "I'll consider it," he looked as if he was interested in her offer.

Claudia smiled glancing at Lulu, "Good to see you, I'll let Johnny know you asked about him."

Lulu wasn't sure if she really wanted that, she tried to smile for she could feel the sickness coming back. She unnervingly smiled putting her hand on her hip watching Claudia leave the room and then looked at her father.

"See you later…" Luke raised his glass that he had poured more vodka in.

"Dad I thought you were supposed to be cutting down…" She leaned on the counter covering her mouth in hopes her body would get the signal that now wasn't the time to get sick.

"Don't worry about me pumpkin, I'm more worried about you," he looked at her and she instantly thought that he could tell that she didn't look her best.

"I don't want you to go over to Sonny or Jason and try to prevent a mob war, you'll get yourself killed." He walked closer to her.

She tried to keep a straight face even though that was her agenda today, "I….I'm not gonna do that…"

"I see that look in your eyes, I know you've got it bad for this Johnny boy, but you need to think long and hard about your relationship with him…." He watched his daughter roll his eyes and suddenly realized he was going to have to raise his voice to her in order to get his point across, "Lulu a boy is sitting in the hospital with half his head missing!"

He could see she wanted to respond back, "I'm not finished!" He walked even closer to her, "Now I understand you like him and you want to date him and I remember our little rule that I have no say in who you date, but dating is going out to a movie, going dancing or going to a concert, talking, having sex, but going to mobsters and discussing peace treaties is not dating it's STUPID!"

Lulu nodded like he was being unfair, "Wasn't it mom who helped you escape from a couple of mob bosses? Who was it? Oh yeah Lucky said it was a guy named Frank Smith…"

Luke looked away from her for the situation was much different, "Honey that was different, you on the other hand…have put yourself in the middle of a mob war! And when you refuse to see the danger right in front of your face that's stupidity and I didn't raise my children to be stupid!"

Grabbing her purse, "but you forget, you didn't raise us."

Her words stung his barely healed heart, "Next time it's not gonna be Michael Corinthos, it's gonna be you in the hospital."

Lulu put her hands on her hips, she was gonna prove her dad, she was gonna prove to everyone that Johnny was innocent; "I don't even know if I want to be with Johnny, but if I don't it will not be because I'm afraid."

"Maybe not now, but sooner or later you will be and take it from Carly from Kate from Sam from Courtney from Elizabeth from Skye from all the women that have been with Sonny and Jason and Alcazar, it's them who end up paying the price and I will not have that happen to you."

Lulu nodded like it would never happen to her, like she would never be like all those before her, she was Luke Spencer's daughter and she could hold her own, "Don't worry it won't."

She marched out of the Haunted Star jumping into her Mini Cooper leaning her head back on the chair taking a deep breathe, "God Lulu what have you got yourself into." She said for everything he said was true, she had put herself in a dangerous situation and instead of running away from it she ran right towards it believing she could get through to Sonny and the only way to get through to him was to get through to Jason which meant she needed to find Spinelli, Spinelli was the key.

She started up her car before suddenly feeling the urge to open her door and once again throw up. She closed her eyes wising that whatever she had would go away, but Lulu's problems wouldn't be going away for a couple more months, nine to be exact.

Pulling into the parking lot she walked into the hospital seeing Elizabeth at the nurse's station, "Hey…"

"Hey," Elizabeth smiled looking up from her files, "are you okay?" Lulu looked a little flustered to her.

"Yeah, do you know if Carly and Jason are still here?"

Elizabeth nodded, "I know Carly is, but I haven't seen Jason." Elizabeth frowned at the thought for she desperately wanted to be there for him, but knew it was too dangerous for them to sneak off.

"What about Sonny?" Lulu realized she'd have to deal with Jason later.

Elizabeth nodded, "Um Lulu, I don't think Sonny is gonna be back here for a couple of days."

"Why? His son is in here," Lulu couldn't understand why he wouldn't focus on Michael and then worry about who put Michael there later.

"Lulu, Alexis and David Harper came by late last night wanting information, wanting to collect Sonny and Kate's statements and Carly found out that he protected Kate instead of Michael…"

Lulu's mouth slowly dropped, "No…"

"Yeah and Carly told him he wasn't allowed to see Michael ever again, that he wasn't his father and that he didn't deserve to be a parent, so you see I don't think you'll be finding him with Carly for a while…" Elizabeth frowned yet again for she couldn't imagine what Carly was going through, but she knew that if she was in Carly's shoes she would not even think of saying the things she had said to Sonny to Jason.

"That's horrible, I'm gonna go see her, she's still with Michael right?"

"Oh yeah, she's waiting for Patrick and Robin to return with hope that he'll wake up," Elizabeth didn't mean to hint on that it wasn't going to happen, but Lulu had picked up on it through her strained voice.

"Elizabeth is Michael gonna wake up from this?" Lulu had hoped that if Michael did wake up that perhaps Sonny wouldn't go out for blood mainly Johnny's.

"You know I really can't say I'm not a doctor…" Elizabeth bit her, "You know I've got to go…" She made up some excuse to get away from Lulu who she was afraid was going to put the pieces together.

"Thanks," Lulu looked at her a little annoyed by her unwillingness to answer her question.

She walked into the elevator and minutes later found herself staring at Carly through the window of Michael's room. It broke her heart to see the boy she had often babysat to see him so helpless in a hospital bed.

Carly glanced away from Michael to see Lulu, "Mom can you stay with him."

"Sure thing," she smiled watching her daughter get up from the chair.

"Lulu," Carly hugged her.

"How is he?" Lulu leaned back from the hug.

Carly crossed her arms slightly smiling, "Better, Patrick and Robin are just running some more tests, but he's doing better."

"I'm so sorry Carly, tell me what I can do."

"Oh Lulu you did so much calling everyone," she smiled grateful for her help.

Lulu nodded, "No problem, so where's Sonny?"

Carly looked away from Lulu, "I don't know I don't really care…" She looked back at Lulu wondering why she wanted to know.

Lulu looked at her with slight hesitance to even mention his name, but she couldn't help it, she could deal with her possible wrath later, but for right now she needed to know that someone would put in a good word for Johnny and Carly could be that person, "Johnny didn't do this."

"He was with me at the Haunted Star when Michael was shot and so if you could just tell Sonny and Jason that Johnny didn't do this…" She was beginning to wish she hadn't said anything for Carly was giving her a stare of betrayal.

"Carly don't take this the wrong way," Lulu could see her words had hurt her.

"Oh no of course not, my son is in the hospital fighting for his life and your boyfriend gets off scot free cause your in love with him…" Carly didn't want to sound bitter, but as she looked at Lulu who was defending Johnny with all her energy and saw her former self.

"I'm not in love with him Carly, what happened to Michael is horrible, but I just don't want Sonny and Jason going after the wrong person that in itself could start a mob war…" She tried to explain thinking Carly might understand and that was the problem, Carly understood a little too well.

Carly laughed at how unbelievable Lulu was being, it was surreal, "Honey this mob war started the minute you met Johnny Zacchara, it's not going away and as for you not being in love with Johnny…Stop it, just stop saying that because I remember being your age and every time bullets flew and someone innocent got shot, got hurt, and died it was me going around defending Sonny and Jason's honor okay and I did it because I loved them."

"Carly," Lulu tried to reach out to her, but Carly backed away.

"No Lulu, I don't mean to make you feel like the bad guy right now because I know your just defending someone you care about, but I did the same and look where it got me. My son is just barely hanging on because of guys like Sonny and Johnny, and even Jason, bless his heart. These men we fight to defend Lulu, at first it seems like it's worth it and then one day you wake up wishing you had never chosen that path…" She started to make her way to the room.

Lulu stood there, "I really am sorry."

Carly stopped in front of the door, "I know you are and Lulu I'll tell Sonny and Jason to proceed with caution and make sure they don't just kill someone in particular Johnny because that's who they want to blame."

"Thank you," Lulu said as Carly still had her back to her.

"Just be careful Lulu," Carly glanced at her, "I love you, but I don't want to have to watch you have to pick sides, I don't want to see you have to go through the heart ache of losing your family for Johnny, cause god knows when I was your age I would have done anything for the men in my life, but I was foolish I let love blind me."

Carly looked at Michael in his room, "Sonny left with Kate, you might find him with her." She entered Michael's room closing the door behind her not wanting to her Lulu's apologies anymore because all Lulu was really saying to her was protect Johnny and right now Carly didn't have any strength in her body to defend anyone in the mob.

Lulu closed her eyes knowing she just betrayed her cousin in the worst way, she had yet to know if it was worth it, she just prayed that this war wouldn't come down to her having to choose sides because if that was to happen then she'd really have a problem on her hands. The second Carly had mentioned Sonny might be with Kate, Lulu quickly rushed out of the hospital realizing that she was at least an hour late and if she was going to rob Maxie of her dream job she had to get her stuff together.

"You're late," Kate looked back down into the folder after she saw Lulu walk through the door wear a hideous short dark blue dress and a red sweater to go over it.

"I had a family tragedy last night; I've been running around all morning trying to help," Lulu thought she'd understand for Kate was in part the reason why Michael was in the hospital, Sonny had chose to save her which meant the execution of his son.

Sitting on the couch she looked up at Lulu not caring at all why she was late, "Where's my coffee?"

"You were at the warehouse where Michael was shot and you're doing business this morning like nothing even happened?" Lulu wondered what kind of person she was to be acting like this.

Kate looked up in annoyance, but knew after the words she was about to say Ms. Spencer would never be her problem again, "If you find my behavior so objectionable by all means go ahead and quit."

"Look I would just like a little compassion okay? I was late this morning because I slept over at friends house after being up all night with some flu bug meanwhile having to worry if Michael…you do remember who Michael is don't you? He's the little boy that Sonny decided wasn't as important as saving you…"

Kate looked up at her surprised by her comment which was unnecessary.

"So I got up as early as I could this morning without trying to wake up who I thought was my best friend, but apparently we're strangers and because I left in a rush I didn't have time to leave a note which means all the damage control and reconnecting I did last night with him will have been for nothing…"

"Oh boo hoo Lulu would you like an award or something?" Kate really hated this type of behavior and if it wasn't for Carly she would have never hired the girl in the first place.

"No, but I'd like you to understand that the world doesn't revolve around you especially when Sonny is hurting over the loss of his son and the fact that I was running around this morning trying to help the mother of his son and all her family and all you can do is complain how I don't have your latte is cold…"

"Are you finished yet?" Kate looked at her trying to count down the minutes until she could completely destroy this girl.

"No I'm not, adding on to my other duties I was also trying to prevent an all out mob war from starting. Sonny is gonna blame Johnny Zacchara and I know he didn't do it," she almost didn't care if Kate understood her reasons or not because in her eyes Kate was a woman with self righteous bitch with no idea of the meaning of the word 'heart'.

Kate got up from the couch, she had work to do today and this was taking too much time, "And did you accomplish your mission of mercy Lulu?" Kate looked at her for the failure she was.

Lulu looked at her confused as she suddenly got off the couch as if she had been practicing this speech from the moment she arrived, "Tell me Lulu what gave you the idea that a grieving mother sitting visual with her brain injured son could benefit from your council and advice? Huh?"

"And did you think that this so called mob war," she laughed, "Could be stopped by a spunky little know it all? Tell me how were your noble efforts received today Lulu? Did you set everyone's priorities straight? Did you accomplish anything at all?"

She at last stopped right in front of Lulu seeing her shook up face, but continued to berate her, "You know you consider yourself so independent and original, but it's almost amusing that you don't see yourself for the cliché that you really are, a typical spoiled twenty something that things the entire world begins and ends with her. You think you've got problems Lulu? Because when I was your age in fact when I was eighteen I had a life changing event happen to me and yet I think I did pretty good for myself to not let it ruin my life." Kate realized that even mentioning that was possibly a mistake so she moved on to desecrate her in hopes she would quit.

"So don't you stand here and cry me a river of excuses for how problematic your life is right now because when I was your age I was already more successful than you, I held my own job, I didn't have family to call a favor in, I worked my but off to get here and if you can't handle a few simple tasks then get out of my house because there is no room here for a pathetic little girl such as yourself."

As soon as Kate was done releasing her anger she looked at Lulu for the first time and saw just exactly what she did, just how cruel she was to her and for a second she almost felt bad for the things she said. Kate ignored her conscience believing that in order for her to be successful she had to be feared, she had to be cruel.

Walking away from her she asked Lulu to page the designer for the magazine and as hurt as Lulu was by her words she wasn't about to give Kate the satisfaction of quitting so she sat at the desk and got the woman on the phone.

The doorbell rang and Kate pointed to her to answer the door as Lulu handed her the phone, "Yes Celeste…"

Lulu walked to the door somewhat thrilled that it was Sonny, "Sonny…"

"Is she here?" He asked as he stepped foot inside her house.

"Yeah," she motioned, but really wanted to get some one on one time with him.

Kate quickly ended her conversation and smiled at Sonny who was waiting for Lulu to basically leave so they could talk. Kate walked to her desk writing a simple list of things that needed to be done today, the list was fairly short in a way to make up for her brunt of anger.

"Lulu you're done here for the day, just run these errands…" She handed Lulu a list.

Lulu looked up at her almost afraid of her now, but Kate looked at her with a gentler voice, "You can go."

She looked away from Kate and grabbed her purse before turning to Sonny, "I'm praying for Michael…But Johnny didn't do this, he was at the Haunted Star with me when it happened."

"We're done here Lulu," Kate looked at her almost annoyed that she had the nerve to go up to Sonny and even Carly begging them to not consider Johnny as a suspect.

Lulu didn't want to get on her angry side anymore and with Sonny's look she felt as if she might have just gotten through to him, even for just a minute. Closing the door behind her she decided to take a drive to Jason's penthouse to see if Spinelli had any leads and to make up for any misunderstandings about this morning.

Maxie laughed as Spinelli was explaining how he learned how to cook, "No seriously…" She popped a blueberry in her mouth.

"I'm serious Stone Cold taught me…" He said with a straight face, but Maxie threw a grape at him, "Okay…" He laughed as he picked the grape that hit his chest, "Everything I learned pertaining to food came from my grandmother."

"See she thought that if I knew how to make my own food that I could start making dinner for her when she came home from work at least I think that's why… So when I was old enough to understand her she started with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to…I think…I think the last thing she taught me how to make filet mignon."

"Hmm…What's hardest thing you ever had to make?"

He thought hard about it, "Aw...Right before I left for here I tried making one of those upside down cake's…The thing was a disaster, I was so embarrassed, it didn't rise and it was burnt too, but surprisingly enough she didn't get mad, she didn't even seem to care."

He looked up at her, "It's funny when I think about it now because she never actually acted like she cared about me, I mean I always felt like I was a burden and for the first time I actually felt like she wanted me, like she didn't want me to leave."

"You act like you don't talk to her anymore," Maxie could see a little sadness in his eyes.

"I don't," he got up from the table.

"What do you mean you don't?" She didn't understand.

He took their plates, "I mean the last time I saw my grandmother was two years ago when Stone Cold and the fair blonde one came looking for me. When she saw them she knew I had gotten myself into trouble, she kicked me out of her house and told me to never come back."

He didn't want to seem like he dwelled on that moment with his grandmother because in all honesty the woman had been anything, but loving, he felt more loved here in the short time he's lived in Port Charles than the eighteen years he grew up in Tennessee.

As she waited for him to return she remembered all the times Mac had kicked her out of the house and all the times he took her back saying he was just disappointed in her, but never the less loved her.

"Spinelli?" She looked at him as he walked back into the couch, "Have you ever tried to…"

"Nope," he interrupted.

"Well you know she loves you, she was just disappointed in you, it's what Mac tells me all the time," she smiled like it could be the case with him.

Joining her on the couch, "This isn't like your situation, see Mac loves you, my grandmother on the other hand…She doesn't and I finally realized that. The day Jason showed up at my doorstep the day she wrote me out of her life. She said my mother almost through her life away for the mob because of my father and that if I was going to do the same then she didn't want to know me…"

"So why didn't you go back, why didn't you cut your ties with everyone here after everything worked out?"

He looked at her like the answer was easy, "Stone Cold offered me a job which paid well, a place to live, advice…He's like a brother to me, I never had someone who stood up for me and made feel like I was worth something. Then there was fair Lulu," he leaned back on the couch and Maxie sighed, "Lulu."

"The blonde one and I had a lot in common back then…" Spinelli scratched his head remembering how he first met her, how she had just had the abortion weeks ago, how alone she felt and how she needed someone and he just happen to be there.

"And now?" She looked at him hoping the more they talked about Lulu the more he'd spill on what they did last night.

"Now…" He looked at the door thinking about how she left, "We've come to an understanding."

Just then Lulu walked out of the floor with bagels in bag and two coffee cups. As she went to grab her keys she saw the door was slightly open and then she heard voices.

"I've realized that maybe the blonde one and I don't have to be as close as you and I are in order to…" He could see that Maxie didn't like his answer.

"So you don't care that she can treat you like crap, tell you what loser you are compared to Logan…"

Lulu hoped that Spinelli wouldn't go take back his words of forgiveness that he had had told her last night.

"Of course I care, we discussed that last night and Georgie and how she wasn't there when I needed someone, but I've realized as should you that Lulu and I are two people who will always…"

"I can't believe this," she sprung up from the couch.

Lulu was annoyed that Maxie had interrupted Spinelli for she would have liked to hear what Spinelli thought about their broken relationship.

"Maxie," he looked up at her, "Please don't…"

"She broke your heart Spinelli! She broke up my sister's marriage and when Dillon fell in love with her, what did she do? She moved onto the next guy and the next…She doesn't care about you…"

"She needs me," he looked up at her like he needed her to understand that, "She might not need me every day, but…" He tugged on her hand for her to sit back down on the couch.

She reluctantly fell to the couch, "Listen to me, Lulu and I will always be friends, she helped me meet Stone Cold, she set me up here, I owe part of my life here in Port Charles to her. If she needs a friend I'm gonna be there for her whenever she needs me…"

Just as she looked away he found himself cupping her cheek, "Maxie think about it this way, if she had never hurt me the way she did, I would have never become friends with Georgie which means I would have never met you…Hate Lulu all you want, but you have to at least thank her for setting the events in place that led us to this very moment…"

When he said that Lulu smiled yet frowned at the same time for it sounded as if Spinelli was much closer to Maxie than she thought and it sounded as if he might actually like Maxie that they might actually have bonded through finding Georgie's killer.

She took his hand off her cheek, "Wow, she's really worked one on you," she looked away before feeling his hand on hers.

"Maxie…" He tried to look at her with both his eyes, but suddenly had to let go of her hand to touch his bruised eye.

"Sorry, it wasn't bothering me earlier," he felt like an idiot for this whole time he had been acting tough as if his black eye hadn't bothered him at all.

She put her hands on his cheeks trying to get a closer look at his eye, "You didn't keep ice on this did you?"

She could see the answer was no, "Spinelli!" She frustratingly walked into the kitchen to get a little ice even though she probably knew it was a lost cause.

Lulu pushed the door open, "Spinelli?"

He quickly glanced at her, "Lulu?!" He got up from the couch, "What are you doing here?" He whispered.

"I went to get us coffee and bagels…" She explained, but as he turned his head to her again she saw his eye, "Oh Spinelli!" She tucked the bag under her arm and touched his tender cheek.

"You can't be here," he told her not wanting to be mean, but this really was the worst time.

Maxie closed the fridge, "I'm coming…"

Spinelli could see Maxie making her to the doorway of the kitchen, "Hide…" He pointed to the closet.

"What?!" She looked at him wondering why she had to hide, but he insisted and she quickly slid into the closet with the door slightly cracked open so she could watch them.

"You don't have to do this," he told her as she walked from the doorway.

"Come here…" She took his hand and led him to the couch.

Taking the ice patch she softly talked to him, "Sometimes you've got to take a little time out to do something for yourself."

"I did, being with you today was me doing something for myself," he formed a smile.

She smiled back at him, "This might hurt…" She gently pressed it against his eye and he flinched, "I'm sorry."

When he saw her saddened expression he found himself wanting to whip that frown off her face, "Don't be."

She went to put the ice on his eye again, but Spinelli slowly took her hand and put the ice on the coffee table. He had no idea what he was doing, he had told himself earlier that he wasn't gonna kiss her, that he was gonna be friends with her, but as he looked into her eyes all he wanted to do was feel her lips against his.

Lulu watched from the closet as Spinelli leaned in, since when had he developed feelings for of all people Maxie? Since when had he gained the courage to act with such poise, he was smooth not all nervous like he used to be when he had a crush on her a while back, he really had changed and she had missed it.

Her heart was racing as he leaned in and she had no idea if she wanted him to kiss her now, for them to share their first real kiss in the place that he often referred to as Casa de Stone Cold. She didn't want to hurt his feelings for he had become someone that she cared about. She knew that if she rejected the kiss it not only would destroy the confidence that he had built around her, but it might also destroy one of the best things that had happened to her since Georgie's death, it might destroy one of the best relationships she's ever had.

But as she pondered the thought of what to do she saw something in the far distance, "Hold that thought." She put her fingers on his lips bring him to a halt, a halt that he saw as her not wanting them to move on from friendship or maybe she just didn't like him in that way.

Lulu closed the door as much as she could before leaning back into the closet of Jason's leather jackets completely unaware of what Maxie was up to.

Spinelli planted his face in his hands, "Maxie what are you doing?"

She grabbed the pit fork from the fire place, "Sh…" She put her finger on her mouth signaling him to be quiet.

Lulu could see her making her way to the closet and looked at Spinelli for him to do something, but all he did was turn to her and wait for Maxie to strike.

Maxie put her hand on the door, "Come out you creep!" She started swinging.

"Don't!!" Lulu shouted as she barely managed to escape Maxie's deadly swings.

"Lulu!" Maxie was more than furious, "Spinelli she's spying on you for the enemy!"

"No…I'm not I just back from Sonny's coffee shop…" Lulu held up the bag and the coffee.

"Yeah so you could tell Sonny that Johnny and his family didn't try to kill Michael," Maxie didn't want Spinelli at all to believe a single word coming out of her mouth.

"He didn't," Lulu looked away from Spinelli who wasn't looking at them, "He was with me."

"That doesn't mean he didn't do it! Jeez Lulu!" Maxie wandered back over to the couch to put the put the pit fork back on the fire place.

"He didn't! I asked him and he said he didn't," Lulu walked over to the couch, "Spinelli you were there…"

Maxie turned to him after putting the fork down wondering what exactly he was going to say, "I was and he said he didn't do it."

"Of course he's gonna tell you guys that he didn't do it because if he admitted to it then my father would have him in jail!" She looked at them completely fed up.

As much as Lulu wanted to club her for the things she was saying about Johnny she wanted to be the bigger person and ignore her pettiness, "Spinelli, I brought us a late breakfast."

Just as Spinelli was about to look at her Maxie tried to distract her, "Lulu he doesn't want to see you right now, see he wasn't expecting you this morning which is why he decided to make us the most amazing breakfast," she smirked.

Lulu looked at him wondering if it was true, if he thought she had left him until the next time she needed someone to fix her broken heart. "Spinelli I wasn't leaving you I just thought I'd get you something to pay you back for last night," she looked up at Maxie to play into her game, "To thank you for holding me in bed."

If eyes could turn a shade red Maxie's would be on the brightest shade ever, "You tricked him into sleeping with you?" She looked over at Spinelli on the couch who just cracked up at their girl fight.

"No, she didn't," he glanced up Lulu, "Lulu and I didn't sleep together."

"Thank god we all know what kind of disaster that would be." Maxie laughed.

"Well it can't be any more of a disaster than if he pursued a relationship with you," Lulu grinned completely ignoring Spinelli's hurt face.

Spinelli glanced at Lulu, "Why would that be a disaster?"

"Because Maxie has this way of not appreciating what she has," she looked at Spinelli who responded back, "Yeah kind of like you."

He walked past Lulu to his desk where his laptop was at.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lulu looked at him thinking they had made up last night.

"I mean you Lulu you talk about how bad Maxie is, how she doesn't appreciate things and yet you didn't appreciate our friendship, you threw that down the drain after Logan practically beat the crap out of me," he wasn't at all finished.

"I told you I was sorry, but you know why you and Maxie wouldn't work out? Because she'll get bored with you."

"Aw thanks Lulu, thanks for the vote of confidence that someone as what? Nerdy as me…" He pointed to his computer, "Someone who hacks into computers for a living, someone who spends half their time in cyber space…Can't keep a girl as beautiful as Maxie occupied for a couple of hours?"

"That's not what I meant," Lulu could see her words were being twisted.

"Oh then what did you mean Lulu? Please open my eyes, enlighten me in explaining how you are so much better than Maxie because if I have to compare the two of you, you're almost exactly the same…"

Maxie was a little offended by his comment, "Hey…"

"No the old version of you Maxie compared to the current version of Lulu. You both lie to get your way, you both broke up marriages, you both date guys that have abused you or broken the law…" Spinelli picked up his back pack, "Your both are so alike in so many ways that I'm just happy that Maxie came to her senses and to stop going down this destructive path picking one loser after another…"

He looked at Maxie not wanting to be disrespectful to the guys in her life that had treated her decently, "Not to say that Cooper or Jessie were losers they were two men that loved you a lot, I was speaking more in terms of Lucky and Logan."

Lulu walked towards him with a disgusted look on her face, "What's happened to you?"

"What's happened to me Lulu?" He threw his laptop in his back pack, "A lot…"

Putting his back pack on he grabbed his phone, "I'm gonna make this real clear for the two of you because I frankly don't know how Stone Cold does it, putting up with the Valkyrie, the Maternal one and the goddess all at once."

"If you want to be in my life, the two of you, if you want be my friend than you two have to be able to co-exist because I don't have the energy with everything that's happened to put up with the constant bickering I don't…" He was going to lecture them even more when his phone started ringing.

"Jase…" Spinelli turned away from them, "Are you sure?" Spinelli traced his hands through his hair at his master's news of little Michael.

"I'll find out who did this, I won't rest until they're caught," he assured Jason who was just completely devastated by the news.

"Can I meet you at the coffee shop or does Carly need you?" He asked wondering how they wanted to do this for Spinelli had a few places of his own that he needed to go to today.

He nodded and then said goodbye to Jason, "I've got to go."

"I'll go with you," Maxie assumed he was going to the hospital.

"No," he didn't mean to hurt her, "I'll see you at Kelly's tonight." He smiled before glancing at Lulu in hopes that the next time he see her it would be on better terms.

"What did he say?" Lulu asked wondering what kind of new Jason had given to him.

Spinelli had his hand on the door knob, "Stone Cold has regretfully informed me that little Michael Corinthos will never wake up again."

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So what do you think about the story so far? Nothing much has happened and I know most of this chapter was just scenes repeated from the real GH, but I wanted to add my own spin to them. The next chapter will have Johnny and Lulu and more build up of Maxie and Spinelli along with general plot building. Don't forget to review and thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

**Author's Note:**

Hey all! I'm sorry it's been so long since I've posted chapters, but I've been super busy and had a little trouble finishing these next chapters. However I think you'll be excited! Jolu is defintely the next chapter, I would have put them in this one, but the chapter was already really long so I decided to separate it. Anyway this chapter is just a bunch of scenes leading up to the next two chapters. Please don't forget to read and review! As always enjoy!

* * *

Watching Spinelli close the door leaving she and Lulu in the penthouse, Maxie looked up at Lulu, "Great…Now look what you did."

Lulu looked at her like she was by far the reason why he left angry, "What did I do?"

"You've made him mad at the two-well he's really angry with you, but can you blame him?" She walked away from Lulu to the coffee table.

"I mean you did leave him for eight months without a friend," she bent down to grab her folder, "But I really shouldn't be angry at you for that one, I should really thank you for breaking his heart because in the few months my sister had left to live, she met a guy, she fell in love which sort of makes up for the way you stole Dillon."

Lulu laughed at how unbelievable this woman was, "I'm only gonna say this once, stay away from Spinelli."

"Hmm no thanks," Maxie grinned at her, "See Lulu you no longer have control over what he does, he's not your pathetic little lap dog anymore."

Lulu grinned, "And he's not yours so don't treat him like one."

Getting up from the table she stopped putting her things in her briefcase and laughed at Lulu's comment, "Oh my god Lulu, do you know how sad you sound trying to protect a man who doesn't want you near him. The only reason he 'took' you back is because he owes you, you're an obligation for giving him all this. Your no good to him than Carly is to Jason," Maxie crossed her arms.

Lulu could have beaten her up just for the way she insulted Carly, "Wow."

Walking towards her she pointed her finger at Lulu, "See no matter what he'll always look at you as the reason he never noticed my sister," she put her hands on her hips, "you know Georgie? The one that picked up the pieces of his broken heart after you stomped all over it."

"Well he'll have a greater heart break if he gets involved with you." Lulu stood her ground crossing her arms.

Maxie laughed loudly as she walked back to the coffee table, "Oh please Lulu, nothing I do will compare to what you did to him. He saw for the first time how shallow you really are…" She almost wanted to restate what she did to him, but knew it would be a waste of her breath.

Walking towards Maxie she tried to find another way to knock her confidence down, "And the longer he hangs out with you the sooner he'll begin to see that you haven't changed. When the next bad boy comes to town or the next officer that joins the force he'll see how quickly you drop him…"

Maxie looked up at her, "Like your one to talk," she rolled her eyes, "Do I really have to repeat how fast you dropped Dillon, Milo and him for a creep like Logan."

"Well he must have not been that bad for you to sleep with him," Lulu smirked.

Standing up from the table Maxie knew just the way to irritate her, "The point is Lulu you dropped three great guys for Logan and then moved straight to Johnny, which let me guess he must have dumped you because there's no way you'd come back to Spinelli after eight months of you telling him to get lost unless Johnny broke up with you."

Quickly snapping at her Lulu looked at her more serious then before, "Johnny and I are none of your business."

"And Spinelli and I are none of yours," Maxie picked up her briefcase, "So do him a favor and this time, stay out of his life because now that he's got me, he doesn't need nor does he want you…" Maxie smiled as if she enjoyed ever y second of telling Lulu that she wasn't good enough for her man.

Watching Maxie walk to the door she knew she couldn't have her leave thinking she won this fight, "You know just because I don't need to lean on Spinelli all the time like you do doesn't mean that he and I aren't close. It's like Spinelli said, I might not need him everyday, but I eventually come back."

"Not this time Lulu, you'll make a mistake and lose him for good," Maxie put her hand on the door knob.

"No that's what you'll do because like it or not Maxie you have a worse track record than I do. If he turns his back on anyone it'll be you and when it happens he'll think back to the conversation we had here and how I told him that you haven't changed and he'll say 'I should have listened to you'."

"Whatever you say Lulu," Maxie opened the door and walked through the doorway.

"Mark my words Maxie, mark my words." Lulu shouted as Maxie left with the front door open, but once she knew Maxie had left in the elevator Lulu bit her lip knowing that Maxie was going to be careful this time, she wasn't gonna hurt Spinelli like she had which meant she had no shot in hell in getting her best friend back.

* * *

"So you wanted to see me?" Nicholas joined Spinelli at a table in Sonny's coffee shop.

"Thank you for meeting me on such short notice," Spinelli smiled, "But with little Michael's accident I've hardly had the time to work on this. Before we get into what this is I'd like us to wait a few more minutes for my business partner to arrive."

"Um Spinelli I'm a very busy man," Nicholas started to get up for he really had no idea what he was doing here.

"I know sir," Spinelli opened up his laptop.

Nicholas looked around at the people in the café, "Well while we're waiting for your business partner can you at least tell me what I'm doing here?"

"You loved Emily didn't you?" Spinelli asked as he pulled up the files on a secret project he had been working on lately.

"Yes I did, I mean I still do," Nicholas looked at him quite sketchy wondering if he knew something about Dr. Ian.

Spinelli looked up at him, "What if I told you that with your help, I and my partner could help bring justice to those that lost their loved ones just as you lost noble Emily."

Nicholas was a little confused, but then again he was waiting for his latest pill to kick in so he could get his daily fix of Emily, "What?"

"The Jackal PI is what I'm calling it," Spinelli turned his laptop so Nicholas could see the designs.

"You want to open up your own Private Investigation agency?" Nicholas looked at him like he had to be joking.

"Here me out," Spinelli had a great speech prepared.

Suddenly she appeared and Nicholas couldn't be bothered to help him, "Look I'm grateful you found out who killed Emily, but you're just a kid with no experience except with one case where you lucked up at the end. Your smart Spinelli, stick to what you know, maybe when you've solved a few more cases I'll think about it," Nicholas got up from his seat running into Milo as he left the shop.

"Hey am I late?" Milo asked for he didn't know who they were actually meeting with.

"Yup he just walked out the door," Spinelli looked up.

"Crud," Milo slumped down in a chair next to Spinelli, "I'm gonna be a body guard for the rest of my life." He pouted.

"No muscle man we can't give up!" Spinelli looked at him, "I myself thought the prince would have given us the money, I mean I know I didn't save his fiancé, but I found out who killed her…I thought it would have counted for something."

"Tell me boys," a man stood behind Spinelli and Milo.

"How much do you need?" He placed a blank check on the table.

The two young men glanced at each other and then looked up to see who this generous beneficiary was, "I'm sorry Mr. Lansing but we can't take this donation."

"Why not?" Trevor looked at them.

"Um maybe because your son is the DA of darkness and you are the…" Spinelli was interrupted.

"So you're going to deny large amounts of cash and my contacts which could probably get your business set up in two weeks at the latest, you're going to turn it all down because I have bad blood with Corinthos?" Trevor looked at them like they were being foolish.

"You can't tell me that I've treated you two as bad as Sonny has. All I want is to be known as the sponsor, your legal affairs can still be handled by Diane," Trevor thought he was offering a pretty good bargain.

"Spinelli?" Sam called his name when she saw the old man obviously trying to talk them into something.

"Aw bodacious one," Spinelli smiled.

"Everything okay here?" Sam could see that Trevor had almost upset them.

"Yeah, everything's fine, look fellas I'll leave this with you, come up with a figure and…" He took out his business card, "Call me when you've made a decision."

"What was that about?" She stood at their table.

"Well this is pretty secretive so you have to promise you won't tell Sonny…" Milo looked at her like if too many people found out it wouldn't be good.

"Or Stone Cold…" Spinelli added on.

"Maybe I should just pretend I didn't hear anything," she looked at them thinking it was related to the business.

"Sam it's not about…you know what…" Milo leaned in, "We're not doing anything illegal."

"Okay good," she laughed, "Then what are you doing?"

"We're starting our own firm, the Jackal PI." Spinelli showed her the schematics of their building.

"Wow it looks awesome, so you two have been planning this for how long?" Sam looked at Spinelli for she thought he was always pretty content working with Jason.

"Well it's sort of been an idea we've been playing with for the past year or so…" Milo told her, but she didn't believe him.

"Spinelli?" She looked at him for an honest explanation.

He motioned her to sit down, "Remember when I started living with you and Stone Cold?"

"How could I forget?" Sam joked, "So when did you get this brilliant idea?"

Spinelli began to explain, "Well Film guy and I…"

"And me…" Milo didn't like feeling left out.

"And Milo, we had fun helping the warrior princess find out who killed Rick Webber and when we solved the mystery we joked that we should someday open our own place."

Sam laughed for Spinelli seemed honestly excited about it, "That's fantastic, is Dillon involved in this?"

Milo looked at Spinelli, "Should we tell her?"

"Guys…" Sam looked at them wondering what was going.

"As soon as we get the place set up, he'll be on a flight home. See Spinelli is our tech guy, I'm the muscle, to protect these guys in case something goes wrong and Dillon, he's the creative specialist, we all have an important role…" Milo insisted.

"So is that why Trevor was talking to you guys?" Sam was putting all the pieces together.

"Yup, see we'd use our money that we've earned from Stone Cold and the Godfather, but it's not well it's not real money if you know what I mean…"

"Why don't you ask Jax? He's got plenty of 'good' money 'clean' money to give away and he'd probably be honored by the cause," Sam knew it would probably be better than taking a chance with Trevor.

"Yeah we're just gonna look around a bit and see who can give us the better offer, but we were wondering if you wanted to work for us," Milo knew she had recently been let go of Everyday Heroes.

"And do what?" She had no idea how she could be of help.

"You could be a receptionist, like schedule appointments and stuff," Milo explained, but she frowned.

"I don't know, I don't think Lucky would like it." She knew that if he found out she was working for a company in competition with the police that he would let it somehow hurt their relationship.

"Well think about it," Spinelli smiled before seeing Jason walk in, "Hey Stone Cold…I've got good news."

Sam got up from the chair, "I'll see you guys later, good luck." She looked at Milo to hide the check that Trevor left behind.

Jason politely smiled at Sam and then motioned Spinelli and Milo to walk with him into the office, "So who did it?" Jason sat in the chair twirling it to where his back was to them.

"Um we have multiple suspects…" Spinelli nervously looked at Milo.

"And…" Jason was extremely filled with rage at moment; he was almost a carbon copy of Sonny on a regular day basis.

"Is it the Zaccharas?" Jason twirled around, "Please tell me it's not them because if it is then Sonny is going to kill me."

"Why would he kill you sir?" Milo looked at him confused.

Jason looked up from his hands with eyes that the devil would call his, "Because he asked me to kill them."

Jason stood up and hit his hand on the desk, "And I told Sonny they weren't a threat!"

"Stone Cold I assure you that they're not a suspect." _At least not yet_ Spinelli told himself.

"Then who the hell is!" He shoved everything off the desk startling both men, "Find me someone to blame!" He walked around the desk pointing his finger at both Spinelli and Milo, "In three days I want a name."

"And what if we don't find a name…" Spinelli clung onto his laptop, these were scary times in the organization.

"Then I'm gonna kill the Zacchara family, one by one until they're all six feet under." He stared at them for a brief second almost scared of the monster he was becoming.

He suddenly started backing away from them, "I'm sorry. I…I…I don't know what came over me."

"It's reasonable Stone Cold, little Michael's accident has hit us all hard," Spinelli looked at Jason wanting to help him.

"Will you guys get someone to clean this up…I…I have to go before I do something I'm gonna regret," Jason filed his hands through his hair before opening the door to his office where he made his way out of the coffee shop.

"Stone Cold!" Spinelli shouted running after Jason.

Milo ran out to join them seconds later after making sure someone would clean the office, "Boss…"

Jason looked at the ground sniffling, "Um do your best guys okay?"

He looked up at them, "Be careful." He looked around the parking lot full of cars, "Everyone around us could be the enemy."

Jason put his hand on Spinelli's shoulder, "Good luck and call me when you get something."

As he started to walk away Spinelli suddenly remembered something, "Jason!"

Surprised that he actually called him by his own name he realized that Spinelli had something important to say, "Yeah?" Jason smiled.

He walked back over to them, "Think of little Jake, remember what legacy a father leaves their child." Spinelli tried to bring back the Jason that he considered as his brother, the guy who was supposed to be a hit-man with a heart.

Jason nodded, "Okay…I'll see you guys."

"Oh and tell the maternal one we say hi!" Spinelli waved only to feel Milo playfully hitting the back of his head.

"Hey!" Spinelli turned around, "What was that for?"

"You know you're not supposed to mention Elizabeth's name, someone might be listening and if they find out that he loves her…" Milo realized that his words might be just as lethal as Spinelli's.

Spinelli looked at Milo like he was stupid just telling him not to talk, "The longer you keep talking about it the bigger chance there is that someone could be listening."

"Right," Milo nodded, "Good thinking, great minds think alike, god I can't wait till Dillon gets back, it'll be the three stooges again!"

"I know!" Spinelli excitedly jumped, "Come on I told Maxie I'd meet her at Kelly's."

As the two walked to Milo's truck they passed a limo with tinted windows, "Ma'am where to?" The driver asked.

"_Think of little Jake…You know you're not supposed to mention Elizabeth's name, someone might be listening and if they find out that he loves her…"_

"Um Ma'am?" The driver looked back.

"The Ritz hotel," she said with attitude.

"Yes of course Ms. Rosco." He pulled the slide to give her the privacy she often liked.

"_Think of little Jake…You know you're not supposed to mention Elizabeth's name, someone might be listening and if they find out that he loves her…"_

She smiled at her handy dandy recorder, "Technology is a beautiful thing." She knew she'd be able to use this information to her advantage, "Looks like Mr. Morgan's been busy since the last time I was in Port Charles, a child…well she never had trouble getting pregnant with bastard children it was keeping them that was the hard part," she laughed remembering years ago when she pushed the woman down the stairs where she evidently lost Ric's child.

Taking out her cell phone she looked up the name of the man that had contacted her and just before she dialed the doctor's number she remised one last time of her history with the citizens here, "Another male to fall for her plastic charm, disappointing, I thought Morgan had better taste…well all an all I say this is gonna make for an interesting comeback…Splendid."

* * *

Maxie ran downstairs to see Patrick and Robin sitting on the couch watching TV, "What are you guys doing home?"

"Oh we have the night off, where are you rushing to?" Robin could see she was in a hurry, but looked marvelous.

Maxie smiled as she put her earrings in, "I told Mike I'd close up Kelly's for him, so I won't be home till eleven…"

"Kelly's?" Patrick questioned, "Your going to Kellys dressed like that?"

"What?" Maxie looked at him like he wasn't making sense.

"Aren't you a little over dressed…I don't know over doing it for a shift where you'll be washing the dishes and clearing off tables…" He looked at her wondering if Robin's cousin was really this ditsy.

"Oh I'm not doing that, Spinelli is…" Maxie laughed, "I just pick up the chairs and fold the sign."

"Hmm Spinelli…" Patrick gloated.

"It's not what you think," Maxie tried to cover up that she wasn't at all excited to be seeing Spinelli to show him what she had written for her article.

"Patrick will you go into the kitchen and get me some ice cream…" Robin playfully touched his cheeks.

"With Pickles?" He asked knowing it was one of those cravings.

"Yeah," she saw his disgusted face, "I can't help it if that's what I want."

Robin glanced at Maxie, "Someday you'll understand Maxie."

"Not for a while I hope," she grabbed her shoes from the bottom of the stairs and then walked back over to the sofa chair to put them on.

As soon as Patrick left for the kitchen Robin turned to her, "You're becoming quite fond of Spinelli."

"Yeah whatever…" Maxie disregarded what Robin was trying to hint towards.

"You know its okay if you and Spinelli…" Robin continued to poke around the subject.

"Robin…Gross…" Maxie felt bad having to say that for Spinelli was anything but gross, he was quite cute and hansom in his own way.

"I'm just saying that it's common for people to bond over certain events and develop feelings for one another and I'm saying that if you like Spinelli you should go for it," Robin knew what Maxie was up to for she had done it many times with Patrick.

"Spinelli and I are just friends," Maxie smiled at her while putting her other heel on.

"I think Georgie and Cooper would want you to move on," Robin tried to get Maxie's attention, but Patrick entered, "The worst tasting ice cream coming up."

"I'll second that," Maxie giggled getting up from the chair.

Robin looked at Patrick trying not to be annoyed at him for he had been especially sweet lately, "Have fun Maxie…"

"Don't I always?" She smiled walking to the front of the door to grab her briefcase.

Taking the spoon from the bowl she looked at Patrick, "Your timing couldn't have been any worse."

"What do you mean?" He put his arm around her.

"Well couldn't you tell that I was in a deep conversation with Maxie?" She looked at him, but he nodded.

Watching Maxie wave to her as she headed out the door she turned to Patrick, "Patrick why do you think I sent you in the kitchen in the first place?"

"I thought you were hungry," the one thing he hated about this pregnancy thing was her mood swings for now she'd be obsessing over this for the next couple of hours.

"I'm sorry, you should have like whispered it into my ear, you know I'm clueless," he tried to make her laugh.

"Well yes I knew that when I met you, I just thought that you'd be a little smarter being a brain surgeon and all."

He grabbed a pickle from her bowl, "What's the big deal?"

"What's the big deal Patrick? Hello is it just me or is it completely obvious that Maxie has a thing for Spinelli?" She looked at him like it was super big deal.

He looked at her pretending to be shocked, "No really?"

She wasn't amused, "Patrick this is a big deal for her and because she's been hurt so many times she might try to keep herself from falling in love with anyone even Spinelli…"

"Wasn't Georgie in love with him? That is kind of awkward…" He honestly looked at her not knowing if he could do the same thing.

"Georgie would want Maxie to be happy and it's most evident to me that Spinelli makes Maxie very happy, so happy that I think it scares her."

* * *

"Johnny?" Trevor knocked on the door as he walked in.

"What do you want?" Johnny put his glass down on the desk.

"Why are you angry at me every time I see you?" For it seemed like ever since Claudia showed up he rebelled against him more often.

"It's just you, your presence, your tie…It screams a guy I want to hate." Johnny sat on the edge of his desk.

"Fair enough," he walked to the liquor cabinet, "So where's your sister?"

"None of your business, what are you doing here?" He wanted Trevor to get to the point.

"I'm your lawyer; don't you think we should be discussing what happens if the police connect you to the shooting of the Corinthos boy?" Trevor walked towards him.

"No because I didn't do it, there won't be any evidence." He got up from his desk to refill his drink.

"Ah, but Johnny you have to prepare for the worst and believe me evidence will show up whether you like it or not," Trevor sat down on the couch.

"Evidence planted by you?" He turned around to see Trevor sitting down on the couch, "Trevor don't get comfortable, okay?" He hated it when Trevor sat down for it meant he wasn't gonna leave for a while.

"Don't worry I won't be here for long I have other things to take care of, but Johnny do you really think I have the resources to do that? To plant evidence?" He laughed.

"How should I know, you've got people everywhere your like bacteria or poison, you spread everywhere…" Johnny looked away knowing Trevor wouldn't be amused.

"Well let me give you this piece of information which you may or may not decide to use," Trevor put his glass down and as Johnny joined him on the opposite couch.

Johnny looked less than interested, "If you must…"

"Do you know how that Spinelli kid came to town?" If Trevor had two faces his other face would be smiling for he knew just the way to make Johnny scared of someone so non-lethal.

"No," Johnny wondered why he was waiting his time; he shouldn't have left the piano room for a break.

"Alcazar, Lorenzo Alcazar hired him along with Ric to have Spinelli fabricate evidence," he saw Johnny's humored face.

"And you think that Sonny and Jason will ask him to fabricate evidence against me," Johnny was laughed at his theory.

"It's not a laughing matter boy. That evidence was made to set up Morgan's old girlfriend, Sam McCall who was working at the department at the time thanks to her mother…Well plain and simple it was setup, brilliant one at best because he painted the evidence to look like it was against Corinthos and Morgan and when it went missing…" He began to see that Johnny was catching on.

"Sam was blamed because of her relationship with him," Johnny put a piece of the story together.

"Yes, they actually found the evidence on her and she was arrested for tampering with evidence. Jason of course knew that Sam was innocent and helped her escape…They played right into Ric's hands for Jason and Sam were now criminal on the run and he made sure they looked dangerous so he could shoot them whenever they saw them."

Johnny got up from the couch not trying to be alarmed by the story, "Well Morgan and Sam are walking around free today so obviously his plan didn't work."

"Yeah because my son let it fell apart. The key was to getting rid of Spinelli, he was the root and Ric along with Alcazar overlooked him and so as soon as Jason brought him into the police, the flash drive disappeared and Spinelli showed how the documents from the flash drive could easily be fabricated. The charges were dropped and they got off scot free, but…" He walked over to Johnny who standing back at the liquor cabinet drinking the scotch in his glass.

"But Johnny I'll tell you one thing the pieces won't fall apart if Morgan and Corinthos plan it…"

Johnny looked at him like there would be no plan, "If they had any hunch I did it, I'd be dead, they wouldn't send me to the police."

"I wouldn't be so sure, Morgan just got off for Alcazar's murder, he won't take the chance of going to jail again and we all know Sonny won't have the guts to kill you. Kidnap you yes, but he doesn't do the killing, that's what Morgan's for." He stood in front of Johnny now, "They'd rather see you rot in jail then risk themselves going there. So what a better way than to hire Spinelli to fix some evidence and with Alexis as the D.A. you can't be too sure." Trevor looked at him skeptical of the people in this town.

Johnny slammed the glass on the table, he knew Trevor was working him, but he couldn't stand the man being so close to him, "So what are you suggesting I do? Kill Spinelli?"

Trevor wasn't really suggesting that, "No matter how much Sonny and Jason want to admit it, he is a critical member of their organization…"

"I have no reason to…" Johnny looked at him like he was being ridiculous, "And don't forget Trevors… ah ha, don't forget that Lulu is his best friend, he wouldn't plan evidence against me cause it would mean the end of their friendship."

"Point taken, but you also wouldn't kill him because he is Lulu's BFF."

Johnny looked at him oddly, "Don't say BFF ever again."

"As I was saying, as I'm trying to teach you boy…You keep your friends close and your enemies closer and what better way to do that then by investing in his business." Trevor knew somehow that this would work in his favor.

"What business?" Johnny walked over to his desk, "Spinelli works for Jason. You just got done telling me that Sonny and Jason will ask Spinelli to produce evidence against me."

What he was about to suggest next was only a guess, understandable which was why he believed Johnny would take it into consideration for he would, "Johnny, Spinelli I think is looking for a way out. That girl that died a few months back, the commissioners daughter…It had a rather large affect on him, I think he feels guilty he got her involved because the killer was Diego Alcazar." He walked towards Johnny who seemed to show expression of the idea he just mentioned.

"And guess who else is involved in the business?"

"Tell me it's not Logan Hayes," Johnny crossed his arms.

"No, Sonny's body guard, Milo." Trevor knew that would raise Johnny's eyebrows.

Johnny really had no idea what the point was of getting involved with one of Lulu's friends for then it would just be another way for him to see her and he was tired of hearing Lulu state what was the truth, but never the less he hated being reminded of his feelings for her, "Okay so if I invest in this then what?"

"Then you'll be working with him won't you? And through working with him you'll become his bud…And how will Spinelli be able to plant evidence against you if you become his best friend and not to mention his number one investor."

"What makes you think he would even take my donation? My money? I mean don't you think Morgan and Corinthos would fund it?" Johnny liked his ideas, but he knew Spinelli and Milo weren't stupid.

"You really think their number one tech and their number one-well two guards are gonna tell their boss that they want to quit?" He could see Johnny was seeing what he was saying.

"Plus if they use their money it'll look like they work with criminals, it's bad for business where as you are new to town. You've never been arrested and you're already investing in the Haunted Star and with your sister trying to invest in Crimson Magazine and with myself as an investor in Couture and the family in general an investor in other businesses…Don't you see Johnny, it won't look at all suspicious…it's how we make our money by investing not importing illegal goods."

Johnny looked at him not wanting to discuss this anymore for although it would make perfect sense and it would probably work, there was something pulling him back, it was Trevor that was preventing him from doing this, "I think you've been here long enough."

Trevor nodded knowing he had said just enough to get Johnny thinking, "Think about it." He walked to the doorway before saying one last thing, "Don't forget this is their little secret and it's our little secret that I told you this information. You wouldn't want to upset your sister now by telling her I came by and told you this. We all know how she works."

Johnny nodded, "If I was to do this, theoretically, it would make most sense for the two of us to act like we aren't on very good terms, which shouldn't be hard because you and I have never seen eye to eye. So don't worry, the secret will stay between us and I'll make sure the guards won't say anything to Claudia…" Johnny walked back out the balcony.

"That a boy," Trevor smiled as he left the room knowing that in time he'd be able to turn him against his sister and although what they were planning to do was fairly harmless, it would lead to bigger plans which would be far from harmless.

* * *

Lulu wandered to Vista Point where she leaned on the wooden railing getting lost in the sunset before her. She had just come from the Quartermaines where once again her father and Tracy reiterated that she couldn't stop a mob war. No matter how hard she tried there was no way to undue what had already been done and that worried her. She had no idea what the future held for them. If Johnny had infact tried to kill Sonny for even though he didn't mean to hit Michael, it didn't matter, Michael was a loss cause now. She thought back to her conversation earlier with Carly:

"_I'm not in love with him Carly, what happened to Michael is horrible, but I just don't want Sonny and Jason going after the wrong person that in itself could start a mob war…" She tried to explain thinking Carly might understand and that was the problem, Carly understood a little too well._

_Carly laughed at how unbelievable Lulu was being, it was surreal, "Honey this mob war started the minute you met Johnny Zacchara, it's not going away and as for you not being in love with Johnny…Stop it, just stop saying that because I remember being your age and every time bullets flew and someone innocent got shot, got hurt, and died it was me going around defending Sonny and Jason's honor okay and I did it because I loved them."_

"_Carly," Lulu tried to reach out to her, but Carly backed away._

"_No Lulu, I don't mean to make you feel like the bad guy right now because I know your just defending someone you care about, but I did the same and look where it got me. My son is just barely hanging on because of guys like Sonny and Johnny, and even Jason, bless his heart. These men we fight to defend Lulu, at first it seems like it's worth it and then one day you wake up wishing you had never chosen that path…" She started to make her way to the room._

_Lulu stood there, "I really am sorry."_

_Carly stopped in front of the door, "I know you are and Lulu I'll tell Sonny and Jason to proceed with caution and make sure they don't just kill someone in particular Johnny because that's who they want to blame."_

"_Thank you," Lulu said as Carly still had her back to her._

"_Just be careful Lulu," Carly glanced at her, "I love you, but I don't want to have to watch you have to pick sides, I don't want to see you have to go through the heart ache of losing your family for Johnny, cause god knows when I was your age I would have done anything for the men in my life, but I was foolish I let love blind me."_

And Lulu had let her feelings for Johnny, blind her.

She folded her hands into her face whimpering of the current situation she was in because she knew now, that sometime along the road she was gonna have to chose, she was gonna have to chose between Johnny and her family and whomever she chose she knew she would unavoidably regret for the rest of her life.

"What's with the long face?" Logan slowly walked along the lower part of the area watching as she quickly wiped away her tears.

"Hey," she gave him a warm smile.

"Are you okay?" He obviously knew what was wrong with her, but he wanted to pretend he didn't.

"I've been better," she frowned.

"Well," he walked up the stairs.

"Let me be the one to take your sadness away," he put her arms around her.

"Logan," she moved her hands to his not wanting to hurt him.

"I'll take care of you Lu," he smiled gently kissing her cheek.

She closed her eyes not knowing how to tell him how she felt and just as she started to talk he released his arms around her and gently took her hand shifting her body to face his.

"Why don't you come over to my place tonight," he suggested, but saw her face quickly turn 'no'.

"Just dinner, okay? You and I talking, having fun, nothing more…" He knew it would take time for them get over the past, but he was willing to do it if she was.

"Logan," she paused looking down at the ground before glancing up at him, "I don't know if that's such a good idea…" She let go of his hands and walked away from him to walk down the steps.

"Why not?" He leaned on the railing looking down at her wondering why things always had to be complicated.

"Because," she turned around looking up at him, "Because it feels like you want to have a date."

He smiled at her, "Well that was the idea…" He walked away from the railing and down the stairs, "I thought we could grill a few stakes, I'll light some candles and bring you flowers…Kind of like we used to."

She pondered the thought with him of how they used to be when they were together, but as he tried to put his hands around her waist she put her hands on his honestly telling him what he didn't want to hear, "I can't do this. I can't do this anymore."

He looked at her confused, "You were there with me when I woke up, you spent everyday by my bedside."

He realized he had been to strong and immediately backed away to give her some space, "Lulu this is just my way of thanking you for all that."

"Logan I almost killed you, I put you there in that hospital and when you woke up I wanted to make things right," she slightly shrugged her shoulders wishing she had a better answer, an answer that didn't seem so cruel, an answer that wouldn't hurt him.

"As a friend…" She finished hoping that he would understand that there was no going back to them anymore, they were over and he needed to accept it, "Not as a girl friend. I don't feel that way anymore about you."

"Lulu," he tried to explain his intentions again but she interrupted, "No more mixed signals no more back and forth, I owe you that much.

"Lulu, I don't have a problem with back and forth, I like it!" He smiled knowing he sounded desperate, but all he wanted was another chance.

"You know why I like it? Because it means my foot is still in the door," he knew he could eventually convince her that they were meant to be.

"Look forget about my idea about the candles and flowers, we can order Chinese food," he walked up to her again.

Lulu looked at him in disgust, not intentionally meaning what he was doing was disgusting, but the idea of Chinese food was something she couldn't fathom right now.

"Logan changing your plans wouldn't stop us from having this conversation," she wished he could get it through his head, but remembered his father was the same way with her mother, wouldn't take no for answer.

"It might Lulu, you might wake up in the morning feeling different," he was holding on to any excuse that could work, "Maybe not okay?"

She placed her hand on his shoulder, "Logan…" She softly and slowly talked to him.

"I know my own mind, I'm not changing it. Logan you are a great guy, but not the guy for me." She raised her hand to his cheek, "it was wonderful while it lasted, but you and I, we're just not right for each other."

"No see your wrong," he backed away from her as he pointed at her, "You and I are great together."

"Logan the attraction isn't there anymore," she walked towards him.

"You faked being attracted to me?" If that was the truth than maybe they shouldn't be together because he would never fake any emotion, that's just cruel.

"No, no, no, not at first," she saw him sit down on the bench realizing that everything he thought they were was just a lie, something she had faked to convince herself she was happy with him.

"But after time things just changed and they're not gonna change back." She saw him jump up from the bench, "How can you be so sure? You've changed your mind before."

"This is not some rash decision; it's something I've thought about for a long time," she placed her hand on her chest, "I had to. I can't keep jerking us around."

Slowly the rage was building up inside of him, "Lulu, I still haven't heard a valid reason why you don't want to give us another try! Now if you're gonna be honest you need to go all the way with it and just tell me."

"Haven't I hurt you enough?" She looked at him knowing that her answer, the reason she couldn't be with him was because of her feelings for Johnny, that her answer would definitely break his heart.

He looked of her like of course it would, but he'd rather know the truth then be left out in that dark, "Look if this is about you choosing Johnny over me then you need to just woman up and say so."

He put his hands on his hips restless as to what she would say. He wanted her to say that it wasn't Johnny, but yet he knew if she said it wasn't that it most definitely was.

"I don't know if Johnny and I have a future, but what I do know right now is that he makes me feel…" She stopped as soon as he motioned her too.

"Alright, I get the picture," he started to walk away from her.

"My feelings for Johnny just go way beyond friendship and my feelings for you don't," she tried to explain it better but it didn't help.

"Because of what I did with Maxie?" He had to know now; he had to know what exactly had made her stop caring for him.

"No I told you I already forgive you for that I just hope you can forgive me for the wrench." She looked at him already knowing his answer.

"Lulu I told you I already know why you did that. I scared you, I get a little hot headed sometimes, but I promise that'll…" He was interrupted by the sudden rise in her voice.

"No, no, no, no more promises," she nodded but simply looking at him, "It's over just please accept it."

He slowly nodded taking a deep breath before running his tongue along his lips, "Alright, point made you and I are over, nice memory can't say it doesn't hurt, but I survived bullets flying at me and bombs exploding all around me, if I can survive Iraq I can survive a heart break." He walked away from her.

"Logan," she wanted to find a way to make the pain go away, but a heart break is a heart break and she knew from experience that nothing can make it go away.

"No," he turned to her one last time, "I am truly sorry for putting you on the spot like this, but this will not happen again, you and I are over which means when Johnny breaks you're heart don't come running back to me with your apologies because I won't be looking to forgive."

"Logan," she walked towards him but he put his hands up for her not come near him.

"Whatever. Have a nice life." He walked away telling himself he never wanted to see her again, all bets were off now, say goodbye to the nice Baldwin boy and say hello to the Baldwin that was gonna make sure everyone pays for his misfortune.

She closed her eyes after watching him storm off knowing she could have handled that better. She could have handled everything better not just him, but Spinelli too. She opened her eyes starting to feel a little dizzy, "Not again." She pressed her hand against her forehead while making her way over to the nearest bench. Sitting, she took a deep breath trying to calm herself down, but the nausea and the faintness she felt was feeling which she assumed was caused by the stress from the entire situation wasn't going away. Putting her hand over hear mouth she leaned over with her elbows on her legs, "What's wrong with you Lulu…what's wrong with you." She asked herself feeling the tears slowly escape her eyes wishing his arms were around her now telling her that everything was going to be okay. She wished she was back on that hospital rooftop listening to him whisper things into her ear that made her blush. She remembered when all he could do is text her and as she removed her phone from her purse she looked him up in his contacts wondering if he was thinking about her right now, wondering if she went to see him, if he would let her do so. She wouldn't know unless she tried so she got up from the bench and slowly made her way to her car where she hoped that by the time she got to his house she would feel better and if she didn't then there was always Johnny who was the only person in the world that could make her feel better in times like these.

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So next chapter is Jolu! Review please! Thanks!


	9. The mentor

Chapter 9: The mentor

**Author's Note:**

So Faith Rosco is back in town, will she be working with the Zaccharas or with Dr. Ian or is she her own boss again? You'll have to wait and see how she'll effect the quad. I'm really looking forward to writing Spinelli and Milo and Dillon with their own PI agency! I think it's going to be great and create some interesting storylines especially if Johnny gets involved. Anyway don't be afraid to give me a bad review! I jsut want to know what you guys are thinking so please share! As always enjoy!

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"I'm sorry Johnny Zacchara is not allowed to see any visitors at the moment," the guards outside the gates looked at her.

"What do mean? He's always allowed to see guests, I'm Lulu Spencer, I've been here before to see him," she thought this must be some kind of joke.

"Yes ma'am we're aware of who you are, but Ms. Zacchara made it very clear that Johnny is to have no visitors," they looked up from their clip board with a list of people that could see Johnny, but no one was on the list.

"Well that's ridiculous I just saw his sister this morning and she had no problem with me seeing Johnny," Lulu slightly lied, but she figured when she asked about Johnny this morning and Claudia said he was fine and would tell him she asked about him, she figured that it would be okay to see him.

"We'll call her, but I'm most positive he can't see anyone, we're under strict security at the moment," he looked at her who obviously knew the reason for such a shift in security.

Lulu looked at them like this entire thing was stupid, they knew who she was, they knew she wasn't a threat and they most certainly knew her relationship with the boy they had guarded most of his life.

The guard looked away at Lulu as they got Ms. Zacchara on the line, "Ma'am Johnny has a visitor that we thought we should be cleared with you."

"Who is it?" Claudia stopped right outside the room where her cationic father lies helplessly in bed.

"Lulu Spencer," he looked at Lulu who was trying to remain calm.

Claudia knew her brother might be able to benefit from seeing the girl, "Let her in."

"Okay, should we ask Johnny first?" He whispered not wanting Lulu to hear what was being discussed.

"If you think it's necessary?!" She hung up thinking her guards we complete idiots asking a question like that when they knew that Johnny was very hung up on the girl.

"Sorry Ms. Zacchara," he said even though he knew she had hung up.

"Well Ms. Spencer you've been granted access to see him, but I just want to make sure he's in," he walked over to voice box.

Looking at the guards walking from the house, "Guys what room is Johnny in?"

"The piano room, he's been playing that…what is it?" He looked at the guy next to him but lulu blurted out, "Claire De Lune by Debussy."

"I guess that's it, anyway he's been playing that damn song all damn day…" The guard looked at them in annoyance, but Lulu quickly came to Johnny's defense whether he would have wanted it or not, "I think it's quite pleasing."

He looked at her like it must be some inside joke with her and Johnny, "Anyway I don't think Mr. Zacchara is in the mood to be seeing guests today."

The guard that had been talking with Lulu before the men entered put his finger on the button to music room, "Well I think Johnny will want to see this guest."

He smiled at her and pushed on the button, "Mr. Zacchara?"

Johnny had his eyes closed getting lost in the song that he had declared was his song for Lulu and therefore the song of his depressing sad, but hopeful life except the hopeful part had yet to come true. When he heard the guard speak into the intercom he ignored the disturbance for he needed to continue playing the song for he knew the minute he stopped he'd begin thinking about Michael and the horrible tragedy he caused.

Hearing the piano over the intercom the other guards looked at him, "Told you…"

"Don't you two have some rose bushes that need tending to?" Lulu looked at them.

"We're not gardeners," they looked at her as if she was stupid.

"Well if you don't shut up about your client you'll be on your way to trimming flowers for a living instead of defending wealthy businessmen." Lulu snarled back seeing the guard that liked her in the corner of her eye smiling at the way she handled them.

They looked at her not at all amused by her comments, but were shooed away before they could say anything in return, "I'm sorry Ms. Spencer, they're just jealous that Johnny has a beautiful girl friend and they don't."

She smiled at the old man's charm who reminded her of Alfred, Nicholas's butler, "Why thank you, but Johnny and I aren't romantically involved, I'm here as a friend."

He nodded knowing it obviously wasn't true, "Let me try again…" He pushed the button, "Johnny this is your most favorite guard…Desmond…"

Johnny laughed at the man's attempt to get his attention. Desmond who had the charm of Bruce Wayne's butler and the good looks of Michael Caine was the only guard that had been with Johnny since he was born. Their tight friendship formed during the event where he put himself in the line of fire when Anthony attempted at another shot to kill him when the first bullet went into Johnny's mother. From that day on he along with Trevor worked together in making sure Johnny was protected from his father, but moreover Desmond secretly protected the boy from Trevor whom he knew was using his status as the family's lawyer as a cover to run the organization. As Johnny grew older he was often the instigator for Johnny not to lose hope on finding a life of freedom or the girl of his dreams. As Desmond laid eyes on the pretty girl that he knew had a place in Johnny's heart he therefore decided then and there that Johnny wasn't going lose the best thing that had ever happened to him.

"Come on Johnny, you've been playing that glorious tune all day, how about for something more relaxing…" Desmond smiled back at her.

"Well I'm glad that at least one other person thinks he's a great piano player," she found herself really liking the man in a way that she felt like she could trust him.

"Well I should I taught him how to play," he laughed.

"Oh you did? Well why did you only teach him one song?" Lulu was quite happy to be in the presence of a man that taught Johnny one of the most beautiful songs she ever heard.

"I didn't, I taught him many other beautiful songs, but what I find most fascinating is that he never played this song, he always told me it was too sad yet hopeful at the same time, he didn't start playing it until you entered the picture…which if I must say," he picked up her hand kissing it ever so gently, "I've never seen him as happy when he's been around you.

She smiled wishing she could only learn more about Johnny from him, a man who seemed to know him better than anyone.

"Desmond what do you want?" Johnny pushed the button with slight attitude for he wanted to get back to playing the haunting theme song of his relationship with the girl that could never be ago.

Desmond pushed the button, "You have a visitor."

Johnny was a little surprised that Desmond was introducing visitors to him like this for he usually never announced visitors through the intercom unless they were believed to be a threat, for example Sonny Corinthos.

"If it's Trevor tell him forget it, if it's Lansing with more information about my damn father getting out of that stupid institution keep him away and if it's Corinthos…" Johnny was quickly interrupted as his ranting had becoming annoying to the guard.

Clearing his throat on the intercom to in some way hint to Johnny to lighten up his mood he lifted his own spirits, "Johnny it's a girl, Lulu Spencer is here to see you."

Johnny wasn't sure if he heard right for his mind had been in the presence of music and memories of her which he knew wasn't healthy for the mind, getting lost in pity and guilt wasn't the best way to mend a broken heart it was only the fastest way to get himself in a room next to his father.

"Um what did you say?" Johnny pushed the button asking.

"Lulu Spencer," he shouted more clearly.

Johnny looked away from the intercom obviously hearing right the first time, but instead of wanting to embrace her and apologize like he so desperately wished to. He took a deep breathe and decided that it be best he stay away from her for right now if not indefinite. He had no idea why he felt like he had to deny himself access to her, but he knew that they'd only end up in an argument which might inconsequently lead to him admitting that he was behind Sonny's shooting. That in itself would put her in an awkward position forcing her to either chose her family or him and he'd never want her to give up them for a life like this, she deserved better even if it was a life with Logan Hayes.

"Um Desmond will you tell her I'm not in the mood to talk," he hoped that would be enough to send her away, but knowing how stubborn Lulu was it probably wasn't going to work.

Desmond saw Lulu's frown, "Not to worry," he smiled, "Johnny I really think you should talk to the young lady."

"Please Desmond," he didn't even go into detail giving a large sigh on the intercom, "Today is just not a good day."

Lulu could tell by Johnny's voice that Michael's accident was hitting him harder then she thought it would and she wanted to do was be there for him, talk to him, hold him, tell him that everything was going to be okay, but no he wanted to push her away, it was always his weakness as was the weakness of every man in the mob.

"Let me talk to him," she shrugged her shoulders.

He nodded, "Just push the button."

She nodded understanding the concept, "Johnny?"

By now Johnny was sitting back at his piano when he heard her voice.

"Johnny I know your there, just let me see you…I don't want talk about us, I just…I just know that your scared that your worried and…Johnny all I want to do is take the pain away," she tried to keep herself from crying at the wall he had put up.

Since the moment she started talking he had closed his eyes thinking back to every moment he had been with her, the barn, the bridge, the ball, here, and the countless other places that shared memories of them. Her words soothed him, she didn't have to be here holding him or kissing him, her just talking to him even though he couldn't see her face was enough.

"I know things between us are messed up, they always were, our timing was never right," she laughed knowing that he'd be laughing to and he was.

"You were right about a lot of things yesterday…and so was I…one of them being that when I go to bed at night, when I wake up in the morning…when I'm working with Kate Howard or when I'm at Kelly's wherever I am…I'm thinking about you and only you."

And he was thinking about her, he always was, when he's going to be at night, when he's waking up in the morning, when he's playing the piano or looking at the roses in his garden, he thought about her everywhere he went. It was an attraction that could never depart them.

"Johnny," she wiped a few tears from her eyes trying not to let her sobs sound over the intercom, but it was unavoidable. He heard her light sobs and hated that he was doing this to her, but right now he needed to be alone as if twenty years wasn't enough he needed to be alone for a few more days before even considering to let her in.

"Please talk to me, please say something…Or just breathe to let me in if you can't talk, just something so I know you want me in there with you," she waited for a signal that was never coming.

The minutes felt like forever as she began to realize that he didn't want her their, he didn't even want her there as a friend, he just wanted to push her our of his life like he had pushed everyone else out. Walking back to her car she looked at Desmond as she passed him, "It was worth a shot."

"Come back in a few days, I'm sure he'll be in a better mood, I'll see to it he is." He smiled at her with more confidence then ever, "He wants to be with you he just doesn't know how."

Johnny watched from the window as her car left the drive way and then walked to the intercom, "Desmond…"

"Yes?"

"Don't do that ever again," he lifted his finger off the intercom and sat back at his piano playing the same song until someone disturbed him which he knew would most likely be his sister in a few hours.

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So this was totally an agnst chapter! They'll be more to come most definitely, just trying to build the JoLu love. Anyway I really like this guy Desmond I created, I think he'll be a great friend to Johnny, he needs someone to look out for him. Also if you guys have any plot suggestions or requests that don't interfere with my plans for the story, just offer them cause I'm open to suggestions. Don't forget to review! Thanks guys!


	10. The blonde one

Chapter 10: The blonde one

**Author's Note:**

For all you Spixie fans, this a great chapter and the next one is even better. I'll be done with the next chapter shortly. Please don't forget to review, I especially love it if you guys review each chapter because each chapter has different plot points so if you totally aren't liking one thing I can totally change it to something more popular. Anyway don't forget to review!

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Maxie walked into Kellys to see Spinelli and Milo running around the place with pencils in their ears, plates in their hands and notepads on their last sheets, "Ah great blonde one…" Spinelli smiled obviously forgetting about the argument earlier.

Maxie walked into Kellys to see Spinelli and Milo running around the place with pencils in their ears, plates in their hands and notepads on their last sheets, "Ah great blonde one…" Spinelli smiled obviously forgetting about the argument earlier.

"Wow," she looked around the place that was full of customers.

"Spinelli watch out!" Milo shouted as they were just about to collide.

"Yikes!" He jumped, "Sorry dude…"

Before Spinelli could get much else out he heard a customer shouting, "I need more ice tea!" And another shouting, "Hey I didn't order this!" And another, "Where's that burger!"

"Well nice of you to show up," Milo looked down at his watch, "Seeing as its seven o'clock…"

Spinelli looked at Milo annoyed by his comment that was pointing out that she was an hour and a half late, "What the protector of the night is trying to say is…We need your help."

"Well that's what I'm here for!" She smiled at them as if they were a little clueless to her presence.

"I haven't decided if that's a good thing," Milo looked at Spinelli.

Maxie looked at him not at all amused until Spinelli tried to calm her down, "Maximista…"

She backed off of Milo knowing the best way to annoy him would be able to prove him wrong, which meant she was gonna have to get down and dirty, "Bring it on."

"Oh it's already been brought!" Milo snapped his fingers before catching Spinelli's glance and wondered what came over him.

Milo looked away from the two realizing he just made himself look like an idiot while Spinelli glanced back over to Maxie, "Blonde one…"

"Get me an apron Spinelli, this is gonna be a showdown…" She followed him to the counter.

"But Maximista didn't you get your nails done?" He looked down at her beautiful hands knowing that Maxie wouldn't dare risk her nails getting chipped.

"Spinelli! Who cares about nails! I've got to prove myself to Mr. Goodfella over there that I can do it better than him!" She caught Milo's smile that insisted she couldn't do it.

"He wants a fight, he's gonna get one, get me a plate Spinelli…" She looked at him she put an apron on.

"Blonde one, are you sure?" He looked at her, but quickly realized she was serious, "Okay this is goes to table 7 that's right over…"

Taking the plate and receipt in her hand she looked at him, "Spinelli I've been hanging out in this place my entire life, I think I should know by now where table seven is."

He looked at her immediately regretting that he doubted her, "My apologies. Looks like the wounded blonde one is no more."

She looked at him with her game face on while evilly smiling, "the Bad blonde one is back."

He looked at her a little concerned at the fact that she was calling herself 'bad' for he didn't consider her bad anymore now that he knew her, "I would say Persistent, not bad."

"Okay," she smiled, "Persistent Blonde one it is." She walked past him and Milo, "You're on."

Milo watched as she politely said hi to the customer giving them their food, "Spin…" Milo leaned into Spinelli who joined him, "I'm in trouble aren't I?" He realized Maxie had taken his challenge to heart.

"Yup," Spinelli playfully hit his shoulder before walking to the table where a customer needed their cup refilled.

"Oh dear," Milo was slightly worried for a part of him was as intimidated by Maxie just like Spinelli used to be.

"Sir!" An old woman called for him and he walked back over to her, "Okay so you ordered…" Milo looked over the receipt, but started scratching his head, "I'm sorry…"

"I ordered a slice of apple pie," the woman looked at him annoyed.

"Right ma'am I'm so sorry, I've never done this before," Milo smiled, but she rolled her eyes thinking 'no shit.'

An hour later the place hadn't lightened up with customers, it was as if the entire town heard of Mike's tragedy and wanted to send their condolences in the form of giving him business.

Spinelli ran behind the counter in a panic as he grabbed the next couple of plates, "The senior sir is gonna kill us, we already broke three dishes and…" Spinelli started to close his eyes as another person shouted of a complaint.

"And we've still received tips with the poor service we've given, I think we're doing pretty well for ourselves," she looked at him to stop complaining for it could be worse.

Spinelli perked up, "Hey those grammar lessons are working…"

"Whatever, so I said 'well' instead of 'good," she rolled her eyes, "I think we need to focus."

"Right," he jumped back into panic mode, "We can't do this, look every table is packed."

"Spinelli!" She raised her voice while putting her hands on his shoulders to get his attention.

"Breathe," she couldn't let him panic any longer for if he freaked then so would she.

"We can do this," she removed her hands from his shoulders to see him close his eyes and putting his hands together chanting so yoga phrase.

She looked away from him rolling her eyes once again at his silliness, "Milo!" She shouted for it looked like although they had made this into a competition they still were no where near in control of the environment and they had at least two if not two hours before they closed.

"Milo!" She shouted again motioning him to come over once he looked at her.

He nodded like leaving wasn't an option for he had to deal with a bunch of old ladies getting ready to hit him with their purses thinking that he had some how done the math wrong on their bill and was scamming them.

She became more impatient with him, "Beautiful blond one what are you doing?" Spinelli looked at her not sure of what she was up to, but whatever it was she quickly put her explanation on hold as she became distracted by what he had just said.

"Beautiful Blonde one? You've never said that before," she looked at him very much touched by his words, it was if he was inventing a whole number of names for her tonight, first persistent and now beautiful.

"I'll be right back…" Milo looked at the women and could see their annoyed faces, "I promise…" He quickly sped off to the counter, "Maxie make this quick I have three old women over their getting ready to kill me."

Maxie slightly hesitated for a second thinking of the irony of his statement, _he's a hit-man/body guard and they want to kill him_, she slightly laughed, "Okay new plan."

"Look we need to divide the work based on our super fantastic qualities," she smiled and Milo looked at her wondering what exactly her super fantastic quality was that could pertain to waitressing.

"Spinelli you're gonna handle the orders and the paychecks, Milo you take the plates that he hands off to you…"

"And what are you gonna do?" Milo looked at her wondering if she was gonna to slack off for the rest of the night like she had done the past hour.

"Sit back and file your nails?" He teased for she had barely broken a sweat like they had and because she was avoiding messing up her nails she was barely grabbing onto the plates which was why there were three broken plates, all broken by her for her.

"Well I'm gonna make sure people are happy, I'll refill their drinks…"

"Take their plates to the kitchen without breaking them…" Milo hinted.

"We'll see," she looked at them not to push her.

Suddenly an obnoxious guy walked to the counter, "Hey can you two stop flirting with the bimbo here and take our orders? We've been waiting for half an hour."

"What did you call me?" Maxie put her hands on her hips, "A bimbo?"

"Listen here bud!" Maxie walked from around the counter, "If you don't like how we're doing things here then leave because I'm sure that Mike who runs this place and who is currently taking time off to take care of his grandson who's in a coma, wouldn't want your money, so go ahead and leave and that goes for the rest of you!"

She smiled completely proud of herself not at all caring that two tables of customers were now empty, "And don't come back!" She shouted as they hurried out.

"As for the rest of you, please just hang tight and be patient," she tried to be more polite.

Milo was just about to say something to Spinelli when his phone rang and it was Max, "Hey…is that Diane I here in the background?" Milo looked at Spinelli and the two laughed.

Suddenly Milo heard a loud noise "Is everything okay?"

Max was exasperarted, "No I'm calling you cause I have nothing else to do," Max nodded at how annoyingly stupid he perceived his brother to be, "Of course nothing is okay!"

Milo pulled the phone away from his hear, "Max slow down."

"Look we need your help, Jason isn't answering his phone, Kate isn't next door and Sonny is having a complete break down right now, but…" Max ducked as a glass came his way.

"Max?" Milo looked at Spinelli with a concerned face.

"Get here as soon as you can," Max hung up before touching his head that had a small cut.

"Oh Max darling!" Diane ran to him, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, you need to get out of here, things about to get ugly…" Max started to get up hoping that Milo wouldn't take long and that Jason would get here soon.

Hanging up the phone Milo started taking off his apron, "I've got to go Sonny is having one of his episodes."

Spinelli looked at Milo not to leave them, "Please…"

"I'm sorry man," Milo frowned in apology, "Now those two tables over there are waiting their bills, you can cut down on customers if you get them out, good luck."

"Well guys I think we did it…" Maxie came to them in all smiles until she saw that Milo was leaving which meant she was gonna have to get dirty.

"Where do you think your going?" Maxie was beginning to have a panic attack of her own.

"Duty calls, good luck guys…" Milo grinned.

"No you don't understand," she began panicking, "I just had my nails done I can't be picking up plates and…"

"Yeah we've noticed you can't pick up any plates," he glanced at the three broken plates resting on the back counter.

"Right and if you leave that means there's only Spinelli to do that and he has to be the one to sort out all the orders and the bills because I can't calculate percent," she looked at them beginning to have a panic attack like Spinelli was having a just a few minutes ago.

Milo set his apron on the counter, "Maxie, if Georgie could do it than so can you," Milo winked having all the confidence in her that she could do this.

"Great now what are we going to do?" She looked at Spinelli for a master plan after Milo left the place.

"Blonde one, please don't panic," Spinelli now had the reverse role, he had to keep her from panicking.

"Spinelli," she raised her voice, "I didn't think I'd actually be working…" Just the thought that she might have to clear tables or bring disgusting dirty dishes to the sink in the back was a nightmare.

"Just calm down, you handle the counter and I'll do the rest," Spinelli didn't want to see her throw a tantrum over hair and makeup at least not now anyway.

He grabbed Milo's receipts out of the apron and walked passed Maxie to the tables that still needed their checks. Clearing three tables only about half the restaurant was full of customers which brought a smile to his face for it looked like the crowd entering the restaurant at this time of night would be people interested in a little dessert.

Maxie looked down at her watch after what appeared to be half an hours worth of work and looked up standing behind the counter hearing more orders, "Ma'am?" A table's customers shouted lifting up their glasses.

"Lady here's the order for table…two…" A cook from the back handed her a plate and the receipt.

"Um," Maxie stood their in a complete shock as if the work she had down for over an hour and half now was finally hitting her.

Spinelli looked at her in the distance as she cracked under pressure, "Here's your bill…I'll be right back."

"Maxie, listen…" He could see she wanted to panic because the place just kept getting busier.

"Breathe," he looked at her before taking the plate from her hand, "Breathe…" He motioned.

He didn't want to do this, he didn't want to run the entire place by himself, but with only an hour and a half left he figured that soon the restaurant would be fairly empty soon. Clinging onto that hope he decided it would probably be best, even though he could appreciate her help, if she just sat at one of the remaining tables.

"Okay forget this…" He looked at the receipt and quickly took it to the table.

"I'm so sorry for the wait," he politely smiled, "We are very short staff tonight."

The customer understood, nodding, "It's okay; tell Mike we hope his grandson gets better."

"I will, let me know if you need something," he smiled and then walked to the table where the lady needed her glass refilled, "Lemonade?" He grabbed the glass and refilled it.

After delivering the glass back to the customer he walked back to the counter and looked at Maxie, "See that table over there, go over there and work on your paper, when I get some time I'll help you."

"Order up!" A cook shouted.

"I've got it!" He grabbed the dish from the cook.

"But Spinelli," she turned to him grabbing the hand that he had just put the plate in which led him to dropping the plate because he had yet to get a good grip on it.

"Oh I'm so sorry," she bent down with him.

"Don't," he unintentionally said in a cold tone.

She looked at him a little hurt by his frustrated comment, "I'm sorry it was…"

"I know an accident, I'm sorry I didn't mean to snap at you," he folded his hand into his face closing his eyes for a second, "Please Maxie just take a break…"

She looked at him feeling like she was almost a burden on him in possibly the same way Lulu was, "Okay…"

He watched as she got up from her knees, "Maxie I'm sorry…"

"No it's fine…" She grabbed her work stuff and headed to the table in the middle of Kelly's.

"Great," he looked back down at the broken plate, "Just great Spinelli…you just hurt the girl of your dreams…"

A cook from the back came with a broom, "Here…"

"Thanks, we'll need another burger…I'm sorry what's your name again?" He knew the guy looked familiar.

"Danny," he smiled.

"Oh that's right," Spinelli matched the face now; this was the guy who they originally thought was the text message killer.

"Yeah, I've been gone for a bit, but I'm back now." He grabbed the small trash can.

Spinelli nodded trying not to look at him with suspicion for Sam still had no idea who attacked her on the street when she got hit by a car, "I've got it."

"Alright," he nodded until they heard a customer at the counter wanting service.

"I've got this," Danny offered.

Spinelli smiled getting up from the ground, "How many I help you?"

For half an hour Maxie watched on an off as Spinelli rushed around pouring cups, delivering deserts and main course meals as well as clear tables and it was getting to the point where she realized she had really let him down tonight, more so then she wanted to for she had planned the night to be fun and so far it had been anything but that.

"Here's your change," Spinelli presented a couple with ten dollars.

"Keep the change, tell Mike we're sorry," they apologized and Spinelli nodded extremely surprised for he had messed up their order earlier and couldn't believe that were so kind as to ignore it.

"need help clearing that?" Maxie asked standing right behind.

"I got it," he picked up the glasses, but could see out of the corner of her eye she took it as another way of him pushing her like earlier, "Misunderstood Blonde one come back…"

She turned to him wondering what it was he was gonna say, "Yeah?"

"I'm not angry at you still for earlier," he tried to smile.

"Your nor?" She looked at him confused.

"How could I be angry at the Blonde one who gave it her all? Plus it wasn't even your fault," he insisted even though it was.

"Oh," she smiled as he pilled up plates from multiple tables along with balancing a few glasses on top of the plates.

"Please don't…" He heard the crash as he walked behind the counter where he was only a few feet away from the back, "Fall."

Maxie looked at him in the distance putting all the plates on the counter while bending down to sweep up the glass until she heard the pitter patter of a kid running in, "Cameron don't run!"

"Great," Maxie said under her breath glancing away from the door and back at Spinelli who flinched when he putting broken pieces of the plate into the trash.

"Spinelli…" She said in concern quickly getting up from the table when Elizabeth walked passed the table getting in her way.

Elizabeth looked over the counter, "Spinelli?"

"Oh hi Elizabeth," he sprung up from the ground having just finished sweeping up the glass.

Elizabeth was a little surprised that he managed to call her by her name, "Is everything okay?"

"Um yeah," he pretended he didn't just cut himself.

She put Jake's carrier on the counter, "Spinelli," she saw his hand.

Just as Elizabeth was about to take his hand and look at it, Maxie did it sooner, "Spinelli! You cut yourself."

"I'm okay," he took his hand away from her.

"Spinelli let me take a look at that, Mike has a first aid kit around here." Elizabeth looked at her like it wouldn't be a problem.

"No it's okay," he hesitantly moved his other hand to the glass.

"Spinelli don't do that," Elizabeth looked at him insisting it would hurt.

"What's a little pain," he grinned pulling out the small piece glass thinking it wouldn't hurt as much as it actually did, "See all better."

Elizabeth looked at him knowing it must have hurt, "Spinelli…"

He looked at her trying not to show any kind of emotion, "No I'm fine…"

"Well if you're fine then why is your face getting red?" Maxie looked at him like he was being stupid.

He looked at them realizing he wasn't helping anyone, "Ow…."

"Oh Spinelli come here…" Elizabeth grabbed his hand bringing it to the sink.

"God that hurt," he slightly whimpered.

"Well I told you it would, why didn't you just let me help you?" She carefully rinsed it over some hot water.

"Cause…Ah…" He looked at her like the hot water made it worse.

"Cause you wanted to be just as stubborn as Jason?" She laughed as she grabbed the first aid kit that was under the sink.

"No I'm not stubborn," he looked at her, "Stone Cold is most definitely, but me…" He was about to make a joke when Maxie walked over.

"Elizabeth don't you think you need to be watching your kids before the other brat gets kidnapped."

"Maxie," Spinelli looked at her wondering how she could have just said that.

"I'm just saying," she took his hand and the band-aid from Elizabeth's hand.

"Maxie what the," Spinelli looked at her almost embarrassed by her rash behavior.

"Spinelli, Elizabeth has enough on her hands and I don't want her hands on you," she smiled at Elizabeth to get lost.

"Okay…" Elizabeth slightly laughed at the awkward moment Maxie had created, "Spinelli if you keep that clean you should be okay."

He nodded as she walked away apologizing with his eyes, "Maxie why did you do…"

"Shh…" She put her fingers on his lips, "That woman…" She slowly nodded while rinsing his hand.

"Has done nothing to you," he looked away from her disappointed by her behavior.

She didn't like the look on his face, "I'm sorry Spinelli…It's just that she was touching your hand and…" She didn't know how to explain what she felt.

"And you were jealous…" He smiled at her before realizing that he just said that out loud.

"No I wasn't! Don't flatter yourself," she put the band-aid on his hand as fast as she could before playfully hitting his chest and walking away.

"Ow…" He looked at her as she sat down before feeling something poking at him.

"Man that woman wants you bad…" The old man laughed removing his cane from hitting Spinelli's leg, "They weren't as feisty in my day, but she…she's a force to be reckoned with."

Spinelli laughed, "Yeah she is, but…"

"But you love her anyway? That's great young man," the old man tried to get up.

"Let me help you," Spinelli helped the old man up.

"Thank you so much," he smiled at Spinelli while removing his wallet and handing him a tip, "Buy her something pretty." He gave Spinelli a few one hundred dollar bills.

"I can't take this," Spinelli looked at him feeling undeserving.

"Sure you can," he put it in a pocket of Spinelli's apron.

"Well thank you," Spinelli was completely shocked by his generosity, "Who are you?"

"Just a face in the crowd my boy, you better get back to work…" He slowly walked towards the exit where he passed Maxie's table, "And don't let this one get away…"

Maxie looked up from her article to see an old man pointing at her, but because of where he was standing she couldn't see Spinelli.

"You got yourself a good man right there," the old man pointed to Spinelli.

"Oh I do?" She played with her pen in her hand.

"Yes you do, guys like us come once in a lifetime," he winked and as he walked away Maxie glanced up at Spinelli to see his face was bright red.

"Order up!" He heard the cook shout and Spinelli quickly looked away from Maxie, "Coming!"

The old man watched as the boy and the girl shared an awkward moment. For weeks now he had been watching the odd boy in the corner of the diner enter the place with that girl as well as another blonde one and listened in on there conversations.

Just as he was about to say something he heard someone approaching the doors, "Oh hello…"

She stopped in her tracks looking around the area only to hear the man speak to her with annoyance, "Don't worry I'm sober and I'm not here to tell everyone who you are."

"Howard," she looked at him wondering what he was doing here.

"I'm surprised you recognize me," he remembered the last time he saw her.

She smiled, "Well I do keep in touch with her from time to time."

He was a little taken back by her comment, "So you know your son is here then?" He looked back in the diner.

She followed his gaze to see what he meant, "Are you sure she…" But as her eyes locked on the person her father was staring at, her voice began to quiet down.

He looked at her as she stopped talking, "So you don't know that he's been living here for the past two years?"

"That's him?" She pointed on the glass window, just to be sure, bur even if he said yes she wasn't about to believe him, at least she would try to take it with a grain of salt.

"Yup, I just talked to him…" He instantly saw her scared expression.

"Don't worry he has no idea who I am or who you are or who his father is, I didn't tell him anything, but he turned out pretty well I think." He continued to watch as his daughter realized who her long lost son was.

"Kate," he wanted her to look at him, "There's something I want to tell you." He walked away from her to a table nearby.

"Honey you got plenty of time to meet your son, I on the other hand…" He looked at her wanting her to join him, but she continued staring at him.

"Kate I've got liver disease," he frowned.

"What?" She looked away from the window.

"Looks like my alcoholism finally caught up to me, I'm dying," he looked at her knowing she probably didn't care and he was right she didn't.

"Well I'm not surprised, you drank vodka everyday," she stood at the table now.

"I deserve that," he nodded before motioning, "Please sit down."

"I know I was a bad father, a bad husband and I wasn't there when you needed me," he tried to picture what it must have been like for her to have to give up her son in order to get out of Bensonherst.

"Howard what do you want? Money for treatment?" She started to get out her checkbook.

"No, there's nothing that can be done," he touched her hand knowing that some part of her wished it wasn't the truth.

"I came here because I wanted to make things right with you," he looked at her knowing that his apologies probably wouldn't mean anything.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry for not being the man I should've been, but darling we all make mistakes and when your mother told me that you were pregnant with that boy's kid, the one with all the friends…" He remembered Skully threatening him to leave town after the boy had ratted on him that he saw him strike her mother.

"I thought it would be better if I stayed away and I was right," he smiled, "Look at you, you've become an accomplished woman…All of which wouldn't have happened if I didn't leave."

"So you're sorry, why did you really come out here?" She lost interest in being here now that she knew her son was residing here, she was gonna have long chat with her mother when she got home tonight.

"I came here to see you mostly, but…I also came to see what my grandson looks like, to see how he's grown up..." He sincerely looked at her wanting only one thing from her, "Connie, I know you don't owe me anything, but will you…will you do something for me and meet your son."

"Why should I even believe you? Why should I believe a single thing out of your mouth?" She began remembering all the lies he told so why should she even believe that Damian Spinelli is her son.

He removed a few photos from inside his jacket, "Your mother gave me these to hold onto. Here's a picture of you holding him, here's one of when he was three years old…You can already see that whacky hair he has." He took another photo out laughing, "She told me he's a genius on the computer…even in sixth grade you could tell he was made to run that thing you people call cyber space."

He saw her smile as she continued to rummage through the photos, "You can keep these." He pushed them towards her, "I just needed them to find him you need them to get to know him."

"No it's best I…" She tried to give them back, but he nodded.

"Kate, don't make the same mistake I did. Look, look at him in there…" He glanced at the doors where he could see Spinelli talking to customers, "He's happy…He doesn't seem the type that would hate you for your decision or would purposely tell your secret to the world."

"Your right, he seems happy, happy not knowing who his parents are," she started to get up.

"Kate, he needs closure, he needs to know that you did it out of love," he looked at her seeing the weak part of her heart being exposed.

"I have to go," she got up from the table only to be challenged by him who also got up with her, "Connie that boy has wanted to know his entire life who his parents were and they've been here all along."

The man pointed at the diner before looking back at her slightly raising his voice, "He's not looking for a relationship that boat shipped and sailed a long time ago. All he's looking for is an answer to a question he's had his entire life," he started to walk away believing he made a good point until he remembered something else his ex-wife told him from his little visit with her over three months ago.

"How would you feel…never mind…Because you know what's like not to grow up without a father, well trying growing up with no parents…You know what that does to someone?" He looked at her knowing there must be something left in his daughter that was telling her to do what's right.

"He's grown up his entire life thinking that no one loved him that no one cared about him that he was a burden, you have the power to change that," he strongly wished she would take his advice.

He stood at the front entrance looking in the window again so he'd have one last memory of the only grandchild he had, "In there is your son."

Spinelli looked up from one of the tables he had just given a bill to and saw the old man looking at him, "Excuse me…" He thought maybe the old man regretted giving his money away to him.

Watching his grandson walk towards the doors the old man looked back at Kate, "With all my love darling," he smiled with a slight frown knowing he'd never see his daughter again.

"Sir?" Spinelli curiously asked minutes later as he opened the door, "Did you decide you want your money back?" He looked around, but the area was empty.

Hiding behind a wall, Kate held onto the photos trying to be as silent as mouse hoping that her phone wouldn't ring or that he wouldn't wander over to her.

"Hmm…" Spinelli realized no one was out here until he saw something left on one of the tables.

Walking towards the table he saw a photo of a woman in a hospital bed holding a baby. He picked it up not at all recognizing the woman or the baby and just as he was about to throw it away, he saw what looked like writing on the back.

_Connie with Damien right after birth_

He quickly looked up more intrigued then ever to find who this photo belonged to. Was it the old man?

"Spaghetti?" Cameron pushed on the door.

"Cameron Webber!" Elizabeth picked him up, "I'm sorry…" She playfully looked at him only to see that something had left him distraught.

"Are you okay?" She stood there wondering why his face was suddenly so pale, "Spinelli maybe your cut is worse than I thought…"

"It's not the cut," he walked towards her, "It's nothing." He slid the photo into his back pocket before smiling at Cameron, "Hey cam…I think there's a chocolate chip cookie with your name on it…"

Cameron clapped with excitement, "Yay!"

"That's what I like to hear!" He smiled walking back into Kelly's with Elizabeth.

"I'll be right with you guys," he walked away from them to finish with the tables he had just given bills to.

"Sorry for the wait," he apologized to the customers again.

After taking care of their bills the place was less than half empty which was extremely nice for most of the customers now had simple requests, "So Maternal one or well um Elizabeth…which do you prefer?"

"Um either one…" She looked at him knowing something was off.

"So what can I get you all?" He smiled.

"Just a slice of apple pie and a cookie for Cam, it's a little late…." She looked at her watch which read nine pm.

"Okay and what about Stone-I mean little Jake?" He caught himself realizing he needed to be more careful, "Sorry..." He leaned in, "Won't happen again…"

She nodded, "Jake is just gonna sleep…"

Spinelli looked at her weird before laughing, "Okay…"

Just as he was about to walk away he remembered something, "Oh and Elizabeth, I'm sorry about the blonde one earlier, she was completely out of line," he apologize, but she looked at him wondering why he was apologizing for her.

"Maxie is responsible for her own actions," Elizabeth told him, "But thank you."

"No problem," he winked before looking down at Cam, "So would you like to pick out your cookie?"

Cameron's eyes grew wide quickly looking back at Elizabeth, "Go ahead…But only one Cam."

Spinelli lifted Cameron out of the chair, "Are you the cookie monster?"

"Oh don't start him on that Spinelli…He will go…" But it was too late.

"Cookies!" Cameron shouted.

"You like the cookie monster Cam?" Spinelli teased him, "You know what the cookie monster says don't you?"

"C is for cookie, it's good enough for me; oh cookie cookie cookie starts with C!" Spinelli shouted as they made their way to the counter.

"Oh Spinelli…" Elizabeth laughed looking at Jake, "Yes your brother is very silly, isn't he?"

Maxie looked up as Spinelli shoved a cookie in his mouth like the cookie monster does, "Such a kid…"

Cameron bit into his huge chocolate chip cookie, "Spaghetti…"

"Yeah?" Spinelli smiled.

Cameron pointed at Maxie and just as Spinelli looked to where he was pointing to he saw Maxie quickly look back down, "Oh we've got an audience."

Cameron nodded, "Giv her a cookie…"

Spinelli looked at him wondering what he was suggesting, "Have you been reading that book if you give a mouse a cookie…"

Cameron laughed, "If u giv her a cookie…" He paused motioning Spinelli to move in closer.

"Aw ha?" Spinelli leaned in.

Putting his hands up to hide as if he was whispering, "she kiss u."

"You think?" Spinelli played along, "Really?"

He nodded, "Yup."

"Well then let's try it kid," Spinelli took a small plate and placed a cookie on.

Maxie pretended to be busy in her work as she could sense someone was walking towards her, "Uh hum…Compliments of the waiter…" Spinelli slid the plate on the table.

"Not the chef this time?" She remembered back to this morning and Spinelli's little charade.

"I'm afraid not, but I've heard the cookies are so good…" He looked at Cam, "That they sometimes make the person that eats one…kiss them." Spinelli raised his eyebrows almost hinting to Maxie to play along.

"Really? Is that so…" She saw Cameron nod his head really fast.

Elizabeth looked up at the next table over to see Cameron was up to something, "Cam…"

Cameron looked at Maxie, "Yup it works."

Maxie picked up the cookie, "Well I guess we just have to see." She popped the small cookie in her mouth.

Cameron looked at Spinelli with a huge smile of excitement.

"I don't know Cam…" Spinelli looked at him pretending to give up.

"Look," Cameron's eyes wandered to the woman standing in front of them now.

She slowly raised her hand to his cheek wanting to give Cameron a g-rated experience so she leaned into Spinelli's tender cheek from yesterday's fight and kissed him. As she moved away he looked at her eyes only to hear Cameron complain.

"No kiss, like…" He demonstrated with his hands pressing them together as if they were lips.

Spinelli glanced away from Cameron to Maxie to see if she was gonna do it, surely they didn't have to, they didn't have to impress a toddler, but as they stared at each other wondering what to do Maxie decided for them.

Elizabeth had watched for the past few minutes as Cameron actively chatted with them, but she realized the full severity of the situation when Maxie kissed Spinelli's cheek and then looked as if she was about to kiss his lips. Leaving a tip she grabbed her purse and got up from the table.

"Okay Cam," Elizabeth took Cameron from Spinelli's arms, "I don't know what tricks you're playing on these two, but…"

"Aw mom…" Cameron whined.

"Cam don't mom me," she looked over at Spinelli and Maxie, "I'm really sorry."

"It's okay," Maxie said to her, but was stilling smiling at Spinelli slowly getting lost in his eyes.

Now Elizabeth knew there was something definitely wrong because Maxie took every change she could to tell her she was horrible mother so when she responded with 'its okay' Elizabeth realized what she had already guessed earlier that Maxie and Spinelli had something going on.

"Thanks for everything Spinelli," Elizabeth was glanced at him but he too was in a trance of some sort.

"No problem," he smiled, but wasn't looking at her.

"Okay well I'll see you later," Elizabeth looked away grabbing Jake's carrier and leaving the two alone, well as alone as they could be.

"Um sir?" A table in the corner wanted Spinelli's attention for they needed their bill.

"Just a minute," Spinelli looked at them and then back at Maxie, "Um I'll be with you soon."

Maxie smiled, "I'm gonna finish writing."

"Yeah you do that and then I'll take care of these last customers and we'll close early…" He looked at his watch that read 9:15. Twenty minutes later the place was empty, there were no more customers.

"We're done," he folded the sign that said 'closed'.

"You're done," she corrected him; "You did most of the work tonight." She looked at him as if the work he did was just remarkable.

"Well you did good too," he put his hand in his pocket to lock the doors from outside.

"You mean I did well," she corrected him again and he smiled, "See you're learning so much from me you can even correct my own grammar." He walked back inside.

"Yeah well we'll see how great my grammar skills are once you've read this," she watched he walked towards her table.

"I'm sure it'll be great," he winked as he walked to the counter.

Maxie laughed, "Yeah right."

He took his tips out of the apron along with Milo's tips and Maxie's and started counting up how much money they made, "Wow we gave them the worst service in history and yet we still made great money."

"How much did you make?" She once again insisted he should get the most, even Milo for she didn't do much.

"We made 1500 dollars," he smiled up at her walking towards her, "here's 250."

"I can't take this Spinelli, you worked so hard tonight, this place thrived because of you."

"I know, but look take this and go buy a pair of shoes…" He placed it on the table before take five hundred and putting it in his pocket, 250 for him, 250 for Milo.

"So you've got 750 left, which goes to…" She wondered who else he was including.

"The chefs," he looked in the back where Danny emerged from the kitchen.

"Um Spinelli…" He hoped he wasn't interrupting something.

Spinelli looked away, "Yeah?"

"Oh sorry man, but we're all gonna take off," he pointed to the back, "There's just a few dishes left to be washed and whatever's in here."

"Okay thanks I'll take care of it," Spinelli smiled, "And Danny thanks for helping out tonight."

"No problem," he smiled.

"Oh," Spinelli walked towards him you and the other guy get 200 each," he handed there tips over, "The rest if for Mike…"

"Thanks, well you two have a good night," he waved sneaking out the back entrance with the other chefs.

"Guess that means we're alone," she slightly smiled.

"Yeah," he smiled back not really sure what she was planning.

"So let me finish clearing the rest of these tables and then I can see what you've done," he suggested and she nodded like it was a good idea.

"Okay," Spinelli smiled walking to the tables where he put the chairs up and then took their dishes to the back.

As he started running water in the sink he scrapped off the leftovers into a trash trying to rush with accuracy for he suddenly had a feeling like tonight would be the night, tonight would be the night they share their first kiss, a real kiss.

He put the dishes in the sink one by one adding soap to the dish water, "Yup…" He smiled almost completely forgetting about the photo he found earlier.

Turning off the water he grabbed the sponge and started washing each dish thinking of how he would approach the rest of the night. The more he thought about it the more he realized that he was completely unprepared for the night which suddenly changed his hopes for the outcome of late evening.

Glancing up at her from time to time he could see her busily writing something and then it dawned on him that tonight shouldn't have romantic intentions for he had absolutely no advice not even from Stone Cold on how to pursue the blonde chick that was way out of his league.

Maxie was writing her ideas as fast as he could when suddenly the pencil lead broke, "Damn." She quickly rummaged through her purse knowing she had something in there to write with and when she saw she cheered, "Yes…" It was small victory that turned bitter when she went to grab it; under the clip of the pen was some familiar wrapping paper.

Slowly taking the pen from the purse she couldn't believe as she removed the paper from the clip that she had forgotten about this. She remembered in those days just after he died and just after she opened his gift that this pretty red paper covered in pink hearts was something she held onto for hours. Staring down at the clue he had written she flashed back to seeing him hanging in his room. _How come now_…she asked, how come now she was crying? She hadn't cried like this for months and she wondered why? She wondered why she had no longer needed to hold onto the paper or how she could even manage being in the same place here sister spent every waking hour in. There's no way she would have been able to do it, no way she'd ever be able to do it on her own or with Mac's help or Robin's, _so_…she continued to ask herself, _how could I be sitting here writing an article for Kate Howard with all the tragedy in my life lately?_ Then the answer came to her instantly, Spinelli of course. Spinelli had been the reason she had her life together.

* * *

Aw that was cute, but the next chapter is gonna leave you completly wishing I wrote for GH. Like I said I'll have an update soon hopefully, it's basically done, but I have to add one more scene to it. Don't forget to review and tell me what your thinking! Thanks, also if any of you are good at creating webpages or fanbase pages let me know, cause I'd like to start a fanbase and webpage for this story featuring Spinelli, Maxie, Johnny and Lulu. I'll also be working on a trailer too. You guys are great!


	11. This years love had better last

Chapter 11: This years love…had better _last_

**Author's note:**

So I've been trying to think of Spinelli and Maxie's theme song and I came up with David Gray's "This years love" and I thought the lyrics fit perfectly for Spinelli and Maxie. If you don't have the song you should look it up on youtube or some place because it really goes with the chapter and you'll be missing out if you're not listening to it while your reading. It's a completly different experience. I hope you enjoy this chapter, I know I did. Don't forget to review! Thanks guys!

* * *

He finished drying his hands off from washing the dishes and started taking off his apron left the kitchen, "Okay Max…" He looked up to see her standing at the juke box. Slightly concerned by her laughable happy attitude that seemed no where to be found, he quietly tossed his apron on the counter and walked to middle of the room next to the table she was working at.

She put her quarters in a long time ago; five minutes to her felt like forever as she waited for a song to come up, "Can you do me a favor?"

"Anything," he looked at her sad blue eyes that made his eyes become as wounded as hers, he hated seeing someone so beautiful so miserable.

Turning the lights off in the diner she walked to him, "Dance with me?"

There was no time for him to prepare for what he was about to do, he had no idea how to dance, he had no idea if emotionally he could do this, but he knew if he complained or showed slight hesitation then she'd only take her frustration and hurt on him. So if dancing with her meant he'd be taking the pain away, then he'd dance with her all night long.

_**This years love had better last**_

She looked at him as he embraced her with open arms, why was he so good to her? What had she done to deserve such a man who obviously wasn't meant for someone like her? Georgie was the kind of woman he was supposed to be with, not Maxie and yet as she put her hand on his chest while he put his hand around her waist she couldn't help, but feel herself being drawn to him.

_**Heaven knows it's high time **_

She didn't know what this was, what exactly these feelings were for him, but she knew in that moment she wanted to fall apart and he wouldn't let it happen. He had become her rock and perhaps something more.

_**And I've been waiting on my own too long**_

He'd lost a lot of women in his life, his mother who never wanted him to begin with, his grandmother whom he lost the day he came to her as a member of the mob, Lulu who was never gonna be more than a friend, Jolene who was in coma after saving his life, and Georgie. Aw yes, Georgie who had died trying to solve a mystery, a mystery he had gotten her involved in. In the two years he had lived here he watched the relationships around him. He watched two people fall hopelessly in and out of love, eventually breaking the promises they made to each other, swearing they'd never hate each other, but ended up doing just that. Was it even worth pursuing a relationship nowadays? Was love worth it? He asked himself for it seemed like even the strongest loves couldn't last so why should he think that a winter crush would have a fairy tale ending?

_**But when you hold me like you do**_

She felt safe in Jessie's arms, she felt special in Lucky's arms, she felt loved in Cooper's arms, but in Spinelli's arms she felt all those things; safe, special and loved.

_**It feels so right**_

She wished the minute he put her arms around her that she didn't want to close her eyes and lean her face against his or want to cry on his shoulder or fall asleep in his arms. She thought she could dance with him and pretend he was one of the three men she lost. She hoped when she looked into his eyes that she hadn't been longing for him that she hadn't been thinking of the possibility of them being more than just friends. She wanted to believe that if she kissed his lips it wouldn't feel right.

_**I start to forget**_

For a second he can forget that his actions killed the woman he never got a chance to love. He can forget that Georgie died by the hands of Diego, a man she trusted. He can forget that she died way before it was her time to go. He can forget how violent his world had become how Leticia, Emily, Georgie, Cooper and Michael, how they lost their lives to the dangerous place he calls home.

_**How my heart gets torn**_

As he gently turns her body she sees a table in the distance and suddenly her thoughts of Spinelli vanish and she sees Georgie. She sees them talking the night she died; she sees herself putting her sister down and sees her hurt face. The memory reminds herself of the kind of person she is the kind that goes after the man her sister loved and at last her heart gets torn.

**  
**_**When that hurt gets thrown**_

He feels her hands tightly grip his arm, he knows she's thinking of something painful, of a memory that makes her think she's a bad person, that she's not worthy of a happy life, that maybe what they're doing right now is wrong, "Shh…" He gently pushes her head on his chest letting her know she shouldn't let the past cloud the life she has now.

**  
**_**Feeling like you can't go on**__  
_

He listened as she tried to prevent the tears from escaping her eyes, "Its okay Maxie…" He stroke her hair letting her know that it was okay for her to express sadness in front of him; she didn't have to be strong in front of him all the time.

"It's me, you don't have to hide…just be yourself." He held onto her tighter as she cried her loud sobs of finally getting over their deaths, Georgie's and Cooper's.

She closed her eyes listening to the rest of the song with the lyrics, "_**If you love me got to know for sure" **_replaying in her head over and over again for a reason she wouldn't know until later where she would realize that the night she danced with him was the night she fell in love with Damian Spinelli.

_**This years love had better last**_

* * *

Next chapter is a continuation! I won't spoil it, anyway don't forget to review! This was such a sweet chapter!


	12. Candle in the Wind

Chapter 12: Candle in the wind

**Author's Note:**

So in the last chapter we saw Maxie's point of view through the song of what she was feeling. In this chapter we'll see Spinelli. I love the reviews, keep them coming! Once again if you have any suggestions or things you want me to write, but don't conflict with what I have planned for the story then definitely tell me! Next chapter will fast forward a couple of days. Anyway enjoy and don't forget to review!

* * *

The song came to a close where she slowly leaned away looking up at him for the first time since they danced. His actions were sweet, his face was sweet, even his eyes were sweet and as she stared into them she placed her hand on his cheek and whispered in his ear, "Thank you" before kissing his cheek.

He wanted to act cool and as calm as possible not to ruin the moment so as she took her lips off his tender cheek he whispered near her lips, "Your welcome."

Watching her back away from him he couldn't help but ask, "Did it help?"

"Yeah," she lied for it didn't at all help her with her feelings for him; it only made everything more complicated between them.

He slid his hands into his pocket as she went to turn the lights back on, "What time is it?"

He looked down at his watch, "Just a little after ten."

"Oh," she tried to act as if she was still awake so they could work on her paper.

"Hey let's call it a night..." He suggested knowing she needed to get some sleep as did he.

"But what about…" She knew Kate wanted her work done by tomorrow afternoon.

He walked towards her table placing the article in her folder and tucked it under his arm. Propping the chair up on the table he then walked towards her, "We'll finish it up at your place."

She wasn't sure if that was going to be okay with Mac, but figured by the time they got home he'd be asleep and therefore as long as she wasn't doing the deed with Spinelli in her bedroom that Mac wouldn't care if he was over.

He took his keys from his pocket and then opened the door, "Ladies first."

"Thanks," she smiled getting her charm back.

As he walked out he locked the place up and then walked with her to the car, "Why don't you let me drive?"

"No way, I love this car…" She stood at the driver's door.

"And I promise if something happens I'll buy you another one?" He looked at her like she had nothing to lose, "Just take a nap, you're gonna need it."

She hesitantly put the keys in his hands, "Fine, but if you fall asleep at the wheel and send us both off a cliff then…"

"Then I'll call Stone Cold and he'll come to the rescue…" Spinelli joked and Maxie just rolled her eyes.

He took the keys from her hands and unlocked the car doors where they both tiresomely sat in there seats. As she put her seat belt on she looked up at Spinelli who was putting the car in reverse.

Quickly touching his hand on the gear she looked at him with a warning in her eyes, "Remember who my father is."

He could have answered on a sarcastic note mentioning both her father's names, but instead he just looked at her ignoring her threat, "I'll wake you up when we get home." He whisked her hand off of his and put the car in reverse.

She crossed her arms in defiance, "You won't have to wake me up."

"We'll see," he smiled knowing she'd be asleep by the time they got home.

Pulling into the driveway he saw Patrick's car was still parked in front of the house which meant Robin was still home which was better than Mac being home.

Parking the car he looked at her quietly saying her name, "Maxie…"

Just as he guessed she would be she was fast asleep. Opening the car door he quietly walked around to the passenger's side and opened her door. As he moved to unbuckle her seat belt he caught her peaceful figure which brought a smile to his face. Staring down at her he almost didn't want to disturb her having little confidence that he could actually pick her up and quietly carry her sleeping posture to her bed like in the movies or like he knew Jason did without losing his cool. With that said he used all his knowledge from chick flick movies and from Jason and moved in to unbuckle her seat belt. Gently removing the seat belt from her, he slid his hands underneath her petite body and picked her up in his arms.

Besides Jolene, Maxie was the only other girl he had picked up in his arms and just like Jolene she too put her arms around his neck which only made his heart melt. At that moment he felt like the man he looked up to. He had found someone who needed someone to listen to her, who needed someone to hold her, who needed a shoulder to cry on, who needed things that he felt only he could give her. His master had taught him well for he had found the same type of girls that Jason was often rescuing.

Closing the car door by gently kicking on it, he stepped on the curb walking to the front door where Patrick was leaving the house with Robin in his arms. The two men silently laughed at each other's predicaments and then nodded good luck to each other in getting their woman to their desired destinations.

Bringing her into the house and up the stairs he slowly pushed her door open and walked into the dark room where the moonlight shined in. As he set her down on the bed which was so comfortable it made him want to sleep next to her, he wondered if he should leave her like that or try to undress her. As his eyes scanned her body he noticed her shoes with the ridiculous heals and remembered how much she was complaining about them earlier. Not wanting her to be uncomfortable he took her shoes off and then decided he might as well try to undress her and hope that if she did wake up she'd see him as trying to be a gentlemen and not a pervert. He looked around her room for some kind of pajamas and found a t-shirt resembling something she might wear at night and then walked over to her. He started by first removing all her jewelry and then attempted to take her red tank top off which all went better than he planned. All he had left to do after sliding the nightgown on was remove her jeans.

Just as he went to touch the metal button she stirred, "Spa…"

"Yes go to a spa…" He encouraged as he attempted to touch the buttons of her jeans.

"Spinelli…" She said bringing her hands to his.

He quickly froze wondering if she was awake, but after a few minutes he soon realized that she wasn't awake and that when she said 'Spinelli' it was an impulse.

"Spinelli why…" She let go of his hands and turned over.

For a minute he stopped and listened to what she was saying, "Why…" He watched as she puzzled the question over and over again muttering words that had something to do with him, but never actually processed a thought. As he waited for her to get back to her regular position so he could take off her jeans Spinelli suddenly came to the conclusion that she was dreaming about him.

The idea of her dreaming about him of course excited him, but he'd have to do the happy dance later for he wanted to make her as comfortable as possible which meant taking off these jeans.

"Spinelli…why are you so good to me?" She mouthed as she returned to her former position allowing him to pull the jeans off her.

He put her clothes neatly hanging over her chair and then walked back to the bed where he pulled the sheets over her. Walking to the door he took one last look at her, "Because you're worth it."

He knew she wasn't listening, but as he closed the door behind him Maxie rolled over with a smile on her face. There was a part of her smiling because she was dreaming about him, but the other part of her was smiling because some part of her had heard what he said, some part of her knew he was there which made her happy to know that someone still cared that she get a good nights sleep.

Quietly jogging down the stairs he made his way to the front door where he saw Mac standing in the doorway, "You're becoming very fond of my daughter, I think it's time we have that chat."

He closed the door walking towards the young man who looked more nervous than ever, "For heaven's sake Spinelli I'm not gonna arrest you." He smiled extremely amused by the impression he had on all of the boys interested in his daughters, yes he still hadn't forgotten about Georgie.

"Join me in the kitchen for a little orange soda?" Mac grinned.

"You drink nectar of the gods?" Spinelli looked at him like he might be the coolest guy he ever met besides Stone Cold.

"If you mean orange soda then yes," he slightly laughed, "Guilty little pleasure, come on son," Mac put his hand around the boy's shoulder.

"Um I'll be right there," he pointed to Maxie's car and Mac understood, "I'll be in the kitchen."

As soon as he was no longer in his presence Spinelli sighed in relief for even though they shared Thanksgiving together and unfortunately Georgie's death and funeral he still knew that the commissioner wouldn't forget that he worked for alleged mobsters.

Mac poked his head out the doorway, "It's not polite to keep the commissioner waiting…"

"Yes sir," he nodded before quickly darting to Maxie's car and grabbing his laptop and Maxie's briefcase.

Mac grabbed two small glasses from a cabinet and then filled the glasses up with ice. Placing the glasses on the table he walked to a cabinet under the sink and removed a plastic 2 liter bottle with orange liquid in it. Pouring the soda into the glasses he placed the jug afterwards on the table and pulled out a chair. Just as he was about to sit in the chair his eye caught a photo just outside of the kitchen, a photo of all of them from their last holiday together as a family.

Postponing his relaxation he wandered outside the doorway picking up the frame and flashed back to the evening thinking about how happy they all were, how much they had to celebrate, and how proud he was of his daughters and even the guests they had brought with them.

He tried to keep his tears in his eyes as he found himself tracing his fingers over Georgie's sweet face, "Oh I miss you honey, I miss my girl."

"I do too," Spinelli stood in the hall hearing Mac's last words.

Mac was a little startled by his sudden presence, but never the less smiled, "She was so special."

Spinelli nodded in agreement before putting his laptop and the briefcase on the coffee table.

"She was so smart and so beautiful," Mac wiped away his tears as Spinelli walked over to him.

"Indeed she was," Spinelli smiled at Georgie's face, "A wonderful woman."

"And an even more fantastic daughter," Mac traced his thumb over Georgie once again.

Griping the other side of the frame Spinelli remembered the day he gave her this picture, "You know I gave this to her."

He saw Mac's slightly confused expression for this had been a present she gave to them for Christmas, "She talked about not having a recent photo of the family and I thought this would be a nice surprise," Spinelli let go of the photo that was still in Mac's hands.

Mac looked up at the boy who was walking away from him, obviously frustrated, "Spinelli, you were her surprise."

Spinelli looked up at him, "I was her surprise?"

"Yeah, you were something she never expected, you were just as much as a surprise to her as to the rest of us…even Maxie." He put the photo down. "You have a way with my daughters that no man has ever been able to have over both of them."

Spinelli shrugged his shoulders not really knowing what he meant by that for although the compliment was much appreciated, it didn't mean much of anything to him because Georgie was dead and Maxie was someone he felt like he could never be with.

"Join me and I'll explain." He motioned to the kitchen and Spinelli followed behind him.

"You know Spinelli I'll admit, I was hesitant about you at first," Mac walked by his chair catching Spinelli's 'what else is new' face.

"But I shouldn't have been," he sat down, "I mean you have to understand that the people you work for have a certain reputation and with that reputation…"

"Comes with looks and assumptions and..." Spinelli continued ranting until Mac stopped him.

"But it shouldn't, you're different from Morgan and Corinthos and even though I'm not a fan of the two, they are lucky to have you," he humorously laughed, "I don't know where they'd be without you…" _Probably jail_ he thought.

Spinelli slightly frowned at the thought for ever since the text message killer came about he often questioned the morality of his actions, "Jail…Which is probably where they belong right?"

Mac was surprise by his assertion, "Is that where you think they belong?"

He took a sip from his drink negatively nodding, "No, but sometimes I feel that if maybe I had just…If I had…that maybe…"

"She'd be alive?" Mac questioned seeing the guilt in the boy's eyes, "Spinelli, Georgie died because of…well she died because I failed to protect her."

Spinelli couldn't disagree more, "It wasn't your fault," he looked up at Mac with more than just sadness on his face, he looked at him with a broken heart, "It was my fault. I knew what kind of danger I was putting her in, Jason told me to be careful…and I…" He bit his lip looking away from Mac feeling foolish.

Mac didn't want to see Spinelli to head down a path that he went down the night Georgie died, "You stop that."

Spinelli grinned at him wondering why he shouldn't blame himself, "Mac…"

"No, you and I both know that the truth of it all is that she died because a man wanted a reason to hate the world so he picked on every person whom he thought had destroyed his life." He paused seeing Spinelli's expression to a reluctant agreement.

Mac continued hating the words, hating the fact that they were discussing his deceased daughter, but he knew it was something that had to be said, it was something Spinelli needed to hear, "Was she innocent? Most certainly, she found herself in the middle of a mob war…"

Mac saw Spinelli look down at the table feeling like he was responsible for her involvement and Mac realized he needed to be more clear, "A war that we're all in the middle of…"

"You're not the reason she's dead and don't you ever think otherwise. Georgie treasured the moments she had with you and I like to think that if she had known the outcome of that night, if she had known that spending time with you might have in some way increased her chances of dying..." He paused seeing Spinelli look down at his fuzzy soda, "Spinelli she wouldn't have regretted a single moment…she would have done it all over again because she loved you, she loved you with more heart...more heart than I've seen her give in a long time. You made her happy and for that…how could I ever…How could I ever blame you for giving my daughter the world?" He smiled with tears glistening in his eyes.

"To Georgie," Mac raised his glass to Spinelli's.

"To Georgie," Spinelli clunked his glass with his and the two drank to the girl who was very much missed.

Setting his glass down Mac looked up at him on a lighter note, "So Spinelli what are you doing at my house at…" He looked down at his watch, "At eleven pm."

He awkwardly smiled, "Um well it's not what you think."

"I think it's exactly what I think," Mac gave him a serious look before forming a smile, "Do I want to know?"

"Just business," he said before seeing Mac's eye brows raise, "Oh no not that business, I won't be working for Stone Cold or the God Father anymore."

"What do you mean?" Mac looked at him wondering what he meant.

"I mean Commissioner that I'm leaving their activities to open my own Private Investigation agency…I thought you should in a way be the first to know." He hoped that by telling Mac now instead of later when everyone else found out that maybe Mac would respect him better.

Mac was surprised of course, "So no one else knows…"

"Um Trevor Lansing sort of knows he offered to fund my business," he quickly saw Mac's dirty look, "Don't worry we don't trust that scum."

Mac thankfully nodded, "Who's we?"

"Milo and I…" Spinelli was just about to say Dillon when Mac became even more confused.

"Milo Giambetti? Sonny's body guard?" Mac leaned back in his chair completely surprised, yet hoping that Sonny or Jason would allow them to do so.

"Yeah, he's joining me along with…this is a secret of course, this and my business, no one can know yet…" He was implying Maxie for he sort of wanted to tell her in his own way.

"Of course…" Mac insisted he could be trusted.

"Um, Dillon might also be joining in, once we have the place ready to go, he'll be on his way home, hopefully…" Spinelli slightly frowned knowing that it might not be possible to put the tripod, as Dillon put it, to put the tripod together for the business in L.A. was always changing.

A small silence set in as Mac processed the thought that he and his department would be competing against the three stooges, "Private eye, that's an interesting choice of employment for you," he was somewhat surprised, but he could tell that Spinelli knew what he was doing.

"I know, but Milo and I…we want to get out before it gets too dangerous, before we can't do or have the things we want a have," he frowned thinking of Jason in that moment and how he wanted to be with Elizabeth and their child, but couldn't because his life was to threatening to their lives.

"So you want like a family, a wife and children?" Mac presumed with an agenda behind his presumption.

"Precisely," Spinelli smiled, "We want to find someone to settle down with."

"Like Maxie?" Mac looked at him and could see his face change colors; he was right on the ball with that one.

"Yes, I mean no."

"Well which one is it?" Mac playfully pressured him.

"I mean," Spinelli took a deep breath to calm him down so he wouldn't mess this up, "I mean your daughter is a beautiful woman with many wonderful qualities about her."

Mac was amused by the young boy's words, "Spinelli all I ask is that you don't break her heart."

"Excuse me?" He was confused that Mac was insinuating that he wanted her heart.

"I mean you have my permission to date my daughter whether you wanted it or not, you have my blessing," he got up from the chair knowing that Spinelli probably wouldn't admit that that he liked her.

"If Georgie's death taught us one thing, it was that life is too short to wait for the things we want, we have to make them happen," he looked down at Spinelli who was thinking about the words he had just spoken.

Grabbing his glass he put it in the sink and leaned his back against the counter crossing his arms, "You know I don't have much experience with love myself, but I do know that when a guy commits himself to helping a woman keep her dream job or when he comes home with her late at night in his arms or simply listens to her and tells her everything is going to be okay…It's usually because his feelings for the girl go beyond friendship."

Spinelli looked up at him as he walked over to put the soda bottle away, "We're just friends."

Mac closed the bottom cabinets to the sink, "okay," he turned to Spinelli leaning against the counter again, "Whatever you say detective."

Spinelli stared at him as he walked from the counter to push his chair in, "It's getting late." Mac said after glancing at his watch.

"Yeah," Spinelli started to get up, "I got to call someone to pick me up."

"Oh Spinelli nonsense, you can sleep on the couch," he pointed through the living room.

"Are you sure?" Spinelli looked at him feeling like he was intruding.

"Yeah," he walked to the doorway, "Just as long as you promise not to step into any of my crime scenes."

"Not without your permission of course," he teased back, "But you're going to have to realize there's a new sheriff in town."

"Uh huh, good night Spinelli," Mac smiled before heading up stairs.

Spinelli watched Mac head up the stairs from the view in the doorway and then slowly got up from the chair drinking the last bit of tangy orange soda. He put the glass in the sink next Mac's and stared at the glasses for a minute slightly laughing at the conversation he had with him. He nodded in disbelief thinking that the conversation was going to be the complete opposite then it turned out. For some reason he thought Mac was going to stop him from befriending his daughter and put an end to his relationship with her. After the dance in Kelly's he almost wished Mac had done that for it would have made everything easier, he would have to feel conflicted every time he saw a picture of Georgie as he did right now standing outside the doorway.

"Wise Georgie what would you do?" He sweetly smiled at her face on the picture.

He'd like to know in his heart that Georgie would want him to be happy, of that he was sure of, but to find happiness with her sister? That was the thing he was desperately in search of an answer right now, but ultimately knew he'd never get her answer for Georgie wasn't coming back to him, she was gone and he needed to accept it and move on.

Learning from the master he knew that whenever Stone Cold was conflicted with his emotions he poured himself into work and that's exactly what he began to do. He sat comfortably on the couch with a red pen in his hand and started editing her article which he was quite impressed with. She had a few grammar mistakes here and there and few vocabulary changes to make, but all in all her short article had well constructed thoughts, she was smart, _why did she think she wasn't?_ Spinelli asked himself.

Turning to his laptop he typed up the entire article for her using her words and her words alone throughout the entire writing piece. He made a few suggestions noting them so that if she didn't want to use them then she didn't have to and then made the changes he had marked with his red pen. Forty-five minutes later he was done and printed out the few versions he had constructed using their printer. Walking back to her briefcase he took the multiple versions and her original and placed it inside her folder. He looked down at it quite proud of himself, but mostly proud of her for although he had typed it up and edited it, this was her work and he couldn't wait to see her excited face knowing she had earned the position, that she had done it herself.

Closing the folder he realized that he should include a disk with the file on or a jump drive in case she wanted to edited the piece herself without his suggestions. Looking back on the couch where her briefcase was and her laptop he realized that he had been in such a rush to talk with Mac that he didn't bring his usual back pack where he kept his laptop in and that was where he had a disk in it. Grabbing her keys he walked outside to the car that was still parked in front of the house rather than the drive way like he knew she preferred.

Jumping into the car he put his back pack up in the front seat and then proceeded to park her car. He pulled into the driveway carefully making sure he didn't hit Mac's car or the garage and then once he was satisfied he put the car in park and then went to remove the keys when suddenly he heard a song he hadn't heard a for while, since the night he found Georgie in the park.

"For all of you falling apart out there, here's Lifehouse with Broken," the radioman quieted down and the song began to play.

_**The broken clock is a comfort, it helps me sleep tonight**_

He wished it were true, he wised an object such that of a clock could help him sleep, but what comforted him was a girl, her sister.

_**Maybe it can stop tomorrow from stealing all my time**_

He couldn't remember the last time he did something that wasn't about death, that wasn't about violence, that wasn't dangerous, for working with the mob had taken up all his time, time he realized after death was precious.

_  
__**And I am here still waiting though I still have my doubts**_

He waited for them to kiss in the moonlight that shined through Kelly's, he waited for them to declare what they had been denying for weeks, but just as they would take a step forward they'd take two steps back feeling guilty for the undeniable attraction they felt towards one another.

_  
__**I am damaged at best, like you've already figured out  
**_

It was how they were able to understand each other; it was the one thing that connected them, the only thing that brought them together, it was a loss that turned pieces of their broken hearts into one.

_**I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing**_

He told himself he wouldn't do this, he told himself that he wouldn't cry that he wouldn't stop breathing, that he wouldn't throw a fit, that he wouldn't turn bitter and angry and as he sat the in the car he did just that, he fell apart coming to a final realization that she was dead, that he would never see her face light up unless it were from his memories or from his dreams.

_**  
With a broken heart that's still beating**_

He placed his hand on his heart feeling the pitter patter of a repaired heart.

_**  
In the pain there is healing**_

He closed his eyes where the tears fell and rage slowly built within him, in the part of his heart that Maxie had not yet healed.

_**  
In your name I find meaning  
**_

He looked at his hand that was wet from the tear drops and slowly hunched sobbing over the memory of tracing each letter of her name with his fingers.

_**So I'm holdin' on **_

He grabbed the steering wheel shouting in how much he hated this, how much he hated himself for her death, for not getting their in time, for not catching the killer sooner, it was his fault no matter what anyone said she was dead because of him and as a result a part of him was dying with her.

_**I'm holdin' on **_

Hitting his hand on the dashboard he laid his head on the steering wheel weeping for his grieving self to forgive him for something that he had always believed was his fault.

_**I'm holdin' on**_

He couldn't do this, he took the keys from the car with his cd in hand and slammed the car door, but gently closing the door and turning into the living room where out of the corner of his eye he can see the dinning room, the table, the place he shared a thanksgiving with her.

_**  
I'm barely holdin' on to you  
**_

Touching the table he slowly, but ever so quietly wept falling to the floor leaning against the chair she sat in.

_**  
The broken locks were a warning you got inside my head**_

He knew even before he met her that she had a past, that she was trouble and from the minute he met her she he didn't like her, but like him, she had changed, her sister's death had changed her and he found himself ignoring the warnings and letting her inside.

_**I tried my best to be guarded, I'm an open book instead**_

No one had ever been able to bring out the real him, but she could. Maxie always found a way to bring him down to earth away from cyberspace and get him to talk and think in the way she always knew he could, _I've never been in the position to give my heart, body and soul to someone, if and when I do all there is of me will be all theirs until they wish to hand it back to me._

_**  
I still see your reflection inside of my eyes**__  
_

Getting up from the ground he backed away from the table seeing the memory unveil before him. Even as he quickly put the file on the cd and placed it inside the folder he could see out of the corner of his eye the photo he and Mac had just been admiring. Leaving the folder in a place he knew she'd be able to find it, he walked to the front door with his laptop knowing he couldn't stay here tonight.

_**That are looking for a purpose, they're still looking for life  
**_

He walked out the front door and passed the now silent car that no longer played the song, but like a curse it was now playing in his with a purpose, a purpose to lead him to the Port Charles Cemetery.

_**I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing  
**_

He had lost track of time a long time ago, perhaps this was his broken clock for he didn't remember calling a taxi, he didn't remember the drive over, all he remembered as he stood at her grave was remembering the day he watched them put her here.

_**With a broken heart that's still beating  
**_

Taking breath after breath he placed his hand on his heart that was beating normally now, no irregular heart beats, not anymore.

_**In the pain is there healing  
**_

He fell to his knees feeling like his pain, this sharp pain he felt in his heart, was slowly going away. In a place where his heart had often flat lined, he found his heart not breaking as hard; he found Maxie's surgery to be the greatest healer of his deep sorrow.

_**In your name I find meaning  
**_

Wiping off leaves that covered her name he traced each and every letter seeking for a meaning to be here, seeking for a reason why he had felt compelled to come here at midnight.

_**So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on  
**_

He closed his eyes with every moment they were together hitting him like never before, the first day he met her, the trip they planned, the dance they shared, the holiday they shared, the last beverage they drank in each other's presence and…

_**I'm barely holdin' on to you  
**_

The memory of her in the park, her still body, her cold face, her failed response to his words willing her to live and not leave him, the memory that had since then haunted him was slowly turning less bitter, less angry, less hurtful.

"You're the one person who thought I was special…How am I supposed to go on without you? How am I supposed to let you go? How am I supposed to be with your sister and not feel like I'm betraying you? How Georgie?" He opened his eyes at his hands that were barely holding onto his memories of her.

_**I'm hangin' on another day  
**_

"Please give me a sign…" He traced the letters of her name until he saw white flakes suddenly appearing on the stone.

_**Just to see what you will throw my way  
**_

He looked up at the dark sky and saw snow, _its April and its snowing._

_**And I'm hangin' on to the words you say**_

For a second he can hear the muttering of a voice, "I'll always be with you…"

_  
__**You said that I will be ok**_

He sprung up from the ground to hear the voice again, "You'll be okay…"

_**The broken lights on the freeway left me here alone**_

"Be happy with her," he heard the voice again and quickly jerked his head to where the voice came from, but saw no one, he was alone as always.

_  
__**I may have lost my way now, haven't forgotten my way home**_

He looked back down at her grave and saw her candle, a candle he had lit, but had not placed their. He fell to his knees wondering how it was possible, wondering if this was a sign and sure enough if he didn't believe the snow, her voice, or the candle was a sign then the wind blowing out his candle was enough.

Picking up the candle he wiped away the snow, "It seems to me like you lived your life like a candle in the wind."

He got up from his knees putting the candle in his jacket pocket smiling once more, feeling for the first time at peace with himself for her death, "You belong to heaven now."

Looking up at the dark sky the snow stopped and he couldn't help but slightly laugh as he wiped away his tears, "I'll never forget you, I'll never forget this moment."

He looked at her grave once more, "Goodbye Georgie." Smiling with a frown he slowly walked away knowing tonight would be the first night he could sleep soundly and wake up knowing he was going to be okay.

* * *

So what do you think? I like this chapter because Spinelli feels like he can at last move on and focus on his feelings for Maxie which you and I both know are strong, not love, but they are strong. I was conflicted with the last sentence, but I think it and the entire chapter worked out nice. Mac and Spinelli scenes were just awesome. Anyway tell me what you think. Don't forget to review! I'll try to get the next chapter posted within a couple of days, it's gonna be good! Thanks guys for the on going support! Spixie forever!


	13. Alliances with the devils

**Chapter 13: Alliances with the Devil…Who shall not be named**

**Author's Note:**

Hey! I want to apologize for how long it took me to get a new chapter up. I had finals, then high school graduation, and I started a spixie story so I've been busy, but now i'm free and so expect more updates. Don't stop reading now, please. Don't forget to review. This is a long chapter so you might need to take a break from time to time. Basically all these scenes are happening at once, pay attention to the times, they help. Enjoy!

* * *

Below is a number timed events that occurred while Damian Spinelli had been with Maxie Jones at Kelly's and then her house and then Georgie's grave and they occurred while Johnny was playing the piano at his mansion and while Lulu was crying herself to sleep over her break up with him. The citizens of Port Charles were also about to have their lives turned upside down. The ramifications of such events would not be known for sometime, but tonight's tragedy would affect the four so greatly that they wouldn't even know it.

* * *

_**Tick tock when the clock strikes tragedy will knife the heart.**_

* * *

It was a rainy night, but what else was new Lucky Spencer thought as he spent another cold night sitting on the streets of Port Charles. For two weeks he had been stationed outside a motel 8 where there was substantial evidence of drug dealings. In those two weeks he had seen no action, nothing leading him to believe that crimes were being committed until tonight. Sitting on the wet street shivering in his raggedy under cover clothes of a homeless man, he had a black garbage bag over his head acting like an umbrella. Tonight was his last night. His watch read Ten-Thirty. In exactly one hour Lucky Spencer would be dead.

* * *

_**10:30- Out skirts of Port Charles, Motel 8, lower level near an alley**_

Minus the on going rain, it was a normal night; the usual people had arrived at their hotel rooms' precisely at the times he expected them to check in. He wasn't expecting any visitors, but as he looked up from his watch, the night was still young.

In his two week research he had reported back to the station that Doctor Ian Devlin had been staying at the motel where he had an interesting number of visitors, mostly hookers, but oddly enough every few days a man would show up in an old fashion black hat that one would find from the 1920's and wear a stalky black coat where the collar would be flipped up making it impossible to see who he was. Lucky Spencer had still not gotten a clear look at the man to his annoyance, but if he had to be honest whatever he thought was suspicious about Ian Devlin from the way he would always flirt with his girl friend, Sam McCall, was slowly fading away.

Breathing warm air into his cold hands he heard a car door close, it was the first of many unusual things to occur during the night. He could hear about fifty feet away from him the mumblings of a woman and a man, primarily her driver. What made Lucky Spencer even more cautious was the fact that she had arrived in a limo. What was a limo doing in a poor down town part of Port Charles? He often wondered what Ian Devlin was doing in this very area as well. Anyway that was for another discussion at a later time which would never arrive.

He kept his guard down once the woman walked away from the limo which drove so fast out of the parking lot that if he wasn't under cover he probably would have given the driver a speeding ticket. He could hear the splashes of the woman's heels walking in puddles. Glancing up as she walked passed him the woman was wearing a large circular black hat, _something designer_, he thought, he wanted to smile because he knew it was something Elizabeth would know of. Anyway the hat was slanted in such a way that he couldn't see most of her face and it was just typical that none of the lights worked in the alleyways of these rooms. All he had to rely on for light was the moon and all he could see was a woman with dark lipstick which he assumed was probably red and light colored hair which he guessed was blonde. Besides a black hat, she had a black coat, black gloves and a black skirt on, he figured she must be cold, but her white legs showed no goose bumps.

He looked back down where the out of the corner of his eye she stopped right in front of Devlin's room. At first he figured she was a prostitute, another one of his hookers that he had paid, but as he looked again he realized she looked too pretty and dressed too nicely to be a stripper of some sort.

Looking down at the ground he tried to remember the people waiting at home for him, his sons, his best friend whom although he didn't love in a sense of marriage anymore, he began to love her as he used to when he was teenager, and then of course there was his girl friend who he knew was excited for this to be his last night.

* * *

**10:30-**_**Motel 8, room 10**_

"_I love you dad." He saw the two sharing a secret father son hand shake._

"_I love you too," the man hugged his son, "Go on play, stop bothering me," he heard a slight laugh. _

…_And now for the kill._

"_He's bleeding! Call 911! Gun shot wound. The little boy! He's been hit in the head!" _

"_He's shot? Michael! Oh god no! Michael! He's shot! Someone shot my son!" _

He suddenly jumped at the sound of a knock at the door, s_omeone has discovered I shot the Corinthos boy_, "Shit…" He spilled the vodka on himself, "God damn it." He muttered under his breathe hearing the sound get louder and louder. His head snapped at the door, _it's Morgan, I knew it, I should have left town immediately. _He cursed himself until suddenly the knocking stopped.

Lucky curiously watched as the woman stopped knocking, he knew Devlin was in his room, he had returned to his room just two hours ago so therefore there was no reason why he shouldn't answer the door. She reached for her pocket and removed to a lollipop, Lucky had hoped that if she were some kind of woman that sold herself to sex that she'd at least remove some handcuffs to give him something to dream about in his last hours of pure hell in the cold.

Taking precautions that Jason might be trying to get to him through another way in his room, which would be impossible; he slowly grabbed his gun from his pillow and approached the door where the knocking picked up again.

"Who is it?" He shouted as he put his hand on the door knob and carefully gripped his gun ready to take aim at Jason or at least die trying.

"Bambi!" She grinned knowing he'd be shock to see her for she knew his idea of 'Bambi' was a blonde hooker, but not her.

When he heard the name Lucky grinned at the puddle in front of him, _yup just another hooker_ he thought, _a well dressed hooker, but a hooker, Bambi_, he slightly wanted to laugh.

He sighed in relief looking at his watch, "You're late!" He tucked his gun into his pants, "I'm not paying you extra this time." He opened the door to see a tall blonde figure with a black coat on and a skirt to match.

"Well I wouldn't expect you to doctor, Dr. Devlin." She sweetly smiled with one hand in her black coat and the other hand holding a pink lollipop that was wrapped around her tongue, "Miss me?"

"What are you doing here?" He walked outside to see if anyone had followed her, but of course it was a ghost town, no one was watching except for a homeless man down yonder.

"Well what the hell took you so long to open the door!" She walked into his room while he was still on the look out.

Lucky had ruled Dr. Devlin as potentially non-threatening and in fact just somebody he wanted to hate because he was so friendly with Sam and even Elizabeth, but he soon realized that his hate might have actually been in the right place this time. What he thought was just a little one on one action quickly turned into something dangerous. Devlin looking outside his room as if someone was watching him and of course seeing a gun in the man's hand made his hunch come crawling back, something was most definitely not right.

Taking her hat off and her gloves, she turned to him, "You had me worried sick." She saw him at last closing the door with a gun in his hand.

* * *

_**10:33-Port Charles Police Station**_

"Rodriguez," Detective Cruz had answered the phone in a tiresome voice.

"It's Spencer," he spoke in a serious, but quiet tone.

"Hey man! Only a couple hours left, I'm gonna leave here in about an hour," he looked up at the pretty much empty station.

"I need you to run a check on Devlin," Lucky spoke quickly knowing he didn't have much time and if he wanted to get what the conversation was he was gonna have to demand information fast.

"Okay," he turned to his computer, "What do you want?"

"Run a weapons registration on a Ian Devlin, D-E-V-L-I-N," Lucky didn't want to take any chances.

"Okay it's going, Lucky what is this about?" He watched as his computer was putting a list together of Devlins' that owned weapons in the New York.

"A woman just showed up at Devlin's, he pulled her into the room and then walked out his room pointing the gun in both directions of the alley as if someone might be after him," Lucky glanced up at the room.

"Interesting," he looked back at the computer screen as the test nearly came to an end, "Any sign of a disturbance?"

"I don't know, hang on a sec," he pulled his phone away from his mouth and scrunched his eyes hoping to get a better look at what was going on, but the blinds in the window were half way open.

"Ian! What the hell do you have a gun for?" She looked at him concerned.

"I told you, I have to be careful. I shot a twelve year old! A twelve year old!" He walked towards her.

The shouting seemed to get louder and Lucky feared that maybe this could be a disturbance, but he needed to get a better look, "I'll call you back."

"Okay and Lucky?"

"Yeah?"

"There's no registration for a gun in that name," Cruz wondered if maybe they were onto something.

"The plot thickens." He joked.

"Har har. Hey I'm gonna leave the station now, call my cell phone and don't by any means do anything unless you feel like someone's life is in danger, otherwise wait for me," he stressed for he knew Lucky often tried take matters into his own hands.

"Okay, see you in a bit," he tucked his cell phone away growing curious of the shouting he heard.

"Alright Lucky," he heard the click and decided to turn off his computer for the night, "Hey Marty it's almost 10:40, don't you think you should be heading home?" He looked at the young officer.

"Yeah, but I told Mac I'd stay on for a little bit…" The phone rang, "Excuse me."

Detective Rodriguez looked away from him pushing in his chair and grabbing an extra magazine from his desk drawer.

"Got a big bust tonight?" Ric asked as he walked in with some paper work.

"Wouldn't you like to know," he grinned looking back at Marty, "I'll catch you tomorrow." He smiled and Marty waved before speaking back into the phone, "Scott Baldwin left for Manhattan a few hours ago Coleman why?"

* * *

**10: 35-**_** Out skirts of Port Charles, Motel 8, lower level near an alley**_

Water dripping off his nose he crept along the wall of the estrange room with his gun aimed low.

"I shot a twelve year old boy! An innocent boy!" He slammed his gun on the table, "and not to mention, he's the son of Sonny Corinthos!"

"Hey!" She put her hands on his cheek, "I am not gonna let anything happen to you!"

The mumblings got louder as he stopped right along the wall where just three more inches to the right the window was to the room.

"How can you be sure! I'm fucked!" He cried, "I'm fucked." He lost the will to stand.

"Come here," she put her arms around him not knowing that his knees were going to give out and she'd be holding him on the floor.

"I didn't know there was gonna be a kid there!" He slammed his fist on the ground while feeling her fingers stroke his hair, "I didn't know that stupid fucking Corinthos was gonna show up with his girl friend and his son!" He whimpered.

* * *

_**10: 37- Jakes Bar**_

Coleman placed his hand over his face, "Well I've got Logan Hayes here drinking himself to an accident."

"Well why don't you stop serving him?" Marty wondered why the bartender would keep serving a man who appeared to be getting drunker by the minute.

"Well why can't you just send someone to pick him up!"

"Well why…" He looked up at Ric, "Can I help you with something?"

"Give this to Alexis when she comes in tomorrow morning," he put the file on the desk.

"Okay, see you tomorrow," he nodded before speaking back into the phone, "Um Coleman, Scotty isn't here and to tell you the truth no one is."

"What's going on with Coleman?" Ric slid his hands into the pockets of his suit.

"Um Hang on Coleman," he put his hand on the phone, "Um Coleman wants someone to pick up Scott Baldwin's son he's apparently too intoxicated to drive."

"Tell him I'll be right there." Ric acted like this wasn't a big deal, he was happy to do the kid a favor cause then it meant he would have to do a favor for him.

"But we're not supposed to…" Marty was interrupted by Ric's smile, "I owe Baldwin a favor, tell Coleman that someone will be there shortly."

"Alright," Marty took his hand off the phone, "Yeah Coleman someone will be over there in twenty minutes, can you keep him there?"

"Oh yeah," Coleman hung up looking back at Logan, "Like father like son." He mumbled.

"Another one," he demanded, "Come on Coleman, lay them on me." He slammed the glass on the counter.

"Boy, I think you need to cool it on the drinks, now I called the station, someone is on there way…" Coleman told him, but Logan Hayes didn't seem to care as he pushed his glass forward wanting another drink.

"Thank you," Logan picked up the glass and knocked back another scotch.

"No problem, just don't puke in my bar," he laughed for that's exactly where he seemed like he was headed.

"But my dad's not coming is he?" Logan managed to say without slurring his words.

"I'm afraid not, but they said they'd send someone," he knew he probably should have lied to keep him in line.

"Well that's just wonderful," he laughed, "But I don't need him!" Logan got up from the barstool.

"I don't need him!" He removed his wallet, "I don't need Lulu Spencer!" He threw some cash on the table, "I don't need Cooper…I don't need anybody!" He shouted before stumbling to the pool table.

"Come on Hayes, sit down," Coleman motioned.

He nodded while picking up the pool stick, "Nah I'm okay! Just a little wobbly…" He started laughing, "You know my father was a drunk, oh so that's what I've heard, he stumbled in on Luke and Laura's weddin' and gave them hell…I'm gonna do that…"

"Are you really?" Coleman walked towards him knowing he was gonna have to manipulate the boy to settle him down.

"Yup, once she and the Zacchara boy announce their little marriage, I'm gonna kill him right at the alter…"

"So you'd be willing to go to jail for the rest of your life just for revenge?"

"Oh I'd be willing to do a lot more," Logan smiled, "I might be…drunk off my ass, but Port Charles is about to see a whole new me…" He pointed to himself.

"Really?" He crossed his arms humored by his words.

"Oh yeah, I'm gonna bring fear to the name Baldwin, I'm gonna give them something to talk about."

"I bet you will," Coleman sat on the edge of a nearby table.

"Mark my words Coleman, everyone is gonna feel my wrath and when I'm done, whether I go to jail for the rest of my life or whether I die, I'm gonna make damn sure that everyone that ever did me wrong, is gonna pay…"

"Those are some serious words," Coleman was beginning to wonder if he was as drunk as he appeared for his words weren't entirely slurring anymore, they made sense, _was he playing me?_ Coleman thought, _is he testing me and will I be one of the people he gets revenge on?_

* * *

**10:40-**_**Out skirts of Port Charles, Motel 8, lower level near an alley**_

_Corinthos? _He looked away from the wall that he had his ear pressed against. He wondered why one earth Dr. Devlin would be speaking his name; he only wished he had heard the rest of his sentence instead of words that made no sense.

"I know babe I know," she kissed his cheek, "Shh…" She put her arms around his neck realizing that her absence for the past couple of months since he began residing in Port Charles had affected him. The more he leaned on her the more she became driven to hurt Morgan and Corinthos the way they had hurt her lover even if he had shot the boy, an accident was an accident and the truth of it all was that if they had never brought children into his business, they would have never had to worry about the innocent getting hurt.

He needed one good look, just one look to see what was going on because the shouting had stopped and on a normal night he would have disregarded the shouting, but tonight was no ordinary night and when a doctor speaks the name "Corinthos" any officer in the line of duty wouldn't turn away now.

"They'll find out…Morgan always…"

"I'll handle Morgan," she kissed his cheek.

His teeth cringed, this definitely wasn't a conversation about him doing surgery on Michael Corinthos and breaking down in the arms of a hooker about how hard it was to see something so horrible happen to a little boy, no this was something on an entirely different level.

Reaching into his pocket for his phone he knew he couldn't make an exact phone call for if he could hear them they may very well be able to hear him so the only way for him to send his information was a text message:

**Woman no hooker. Want Morgan-Corinthos dead. **

* * *

_**10: 40-Jakes Bar**_

"Hey just remember me as the bar guy, I never turned you away from a drink," he saw in the corner of his eye, a brown haired Vixen.

"Well what can I do for you?" Coleman perked up walking to his bar.

"The usual," she came off as incredibly pissed off for she just had a rather disappointing conversation with Jason Morgan, "Don't…"

Coleman realized his games wouldn't be welcomed tonight, "Sorry mi lady." He turned his back to her as he prepared her drink.

She looked away from him to the man who was aiming his cue stick at the eight ball, "Mind if I join you?"

Logan continued aiming the eight ball, "Yeah I do mind."

As she began to walk from the bar Coleman whispered to her, "You don't want to go there."

"Why?" She curiously looked at him.

"Let's just say, he's not a fan of your brother," he set her drink on the counter in front of her.

Picking up the drink she set her red glittery lips on the red straw, "Explain."

Leaning over the bar as she watched Logan play pool by himself, he whispered in her ear, "Lulu Spencer."

"I see," she smiled, "Well we can fix that." She set her drink down.

Logan watched out of the corner of his eye the lady in red walking to him, "I told you no."

She stopped at the pool table, "you've never even met me."

He leaned out of his shot, leaning on his cue stick, "Look I've got nothing against you, but your brother…"

"So you're gonna hate me because my brother stole your girl?" She walked closer to him, her body just inches from her, "That's a shame."

"What's it to you?" He looked at her wanting her to make it worth his while.

"Well," she placed her hand on his arm, "We can either be friends or enemies." She whispered in front of his mouth, "You decide." She removed a card from her bra.

He took the card from her hand reading it, "What are you? Mobster by day, working girl by night?" He wasn't impressed by her sexual intentions to get business done.

She stood with her back to him, her father talked to her like this, Sonny and Jason had treated her like a whore, _oh he was going to pay for that._

She tapped her red designer shoe and placed her hands on her hips, "You think that's funny?" She whipped around and pushed him against the wall.

Grabbing her by the arms he shoved her against the wall with his hand over her neck, "You're a bitch!" He quietly shouted, "You're father is a lunatic and you're brother is a good for nothing son of a bitch who takes everything that's handed to him for granted." He let go of her.

"You're just jealous," she playfully pushed him.

He glared at her, "Well you're still a bitch."

"And…" She smiled at him waiting for the next compliment.

"A whore," he smiled gently touching her check.

"And…" She waited for him to run down the list of things that Sonny, Jason, Trevor and her father had listed her as.

"And your exactly what I've been looking for," he brutally kissed her pushing her up against the wall.

He pulled away knowing he had confused her, she had gotten exactly what she wanted, a rise in him, a kiss, and so much more that a normal woman would be afraid to go near.

"What do you want?" She was surprised by his behavior; this wasn't how she expected the night.

"Revenge," he quietly whispered.

"If it's on Johnny I can't help you," she started to move away but he fiercely grabbed her, "I want Sonny Corinthos."

* * *

**10:42-Motel 8 room 10**

"Don't worry about anything okay? I'll find a way to get you out of this."

"Faith," he gently hit his hand against hers to show skepticism that she couldn't do anything to help him, "I'm depending on you."

"I know baby," she continued to stroke his hair, "I'm not gonna betray the doctor that saved my life, you're the one that helped me escape General Hospital all those years ago, I'm gonna help you escape Port Charles."

* * *

_**10:42:30-Outskirts of Port Charles, Motel 8, lower level near an alley**_

His heart skipped a beat, did he just hear what he thought he just heard? _No_ he told himself, _No_, _I've taken everything out of context_. He had to get a look, if he saw her, if he saw what he heard then he could confirm that he wasn't losing his mind.

* * *

_**10:42:45-Jakes Bar **_

He grabbed her more viciously then before pushing her against the wall. She had been told he was violent, but he never thought he'd be this rough with her, in a way she liked it.

"Hayes…" Coleman could see from far away that he wasn't playing nice.

Looking right at her he knew they needed to devise a plan, "Slap me."

"What?" She looked at him confused.

"You got yourself a deal. I'll call you, now slap me," he insisted for Coleman needed to witness the two obviously not getting along.

"Get your hands off me!" She repeatedly slapped him before pushing him against the pool table and then grabbing his arms which she once again became turned on by how big his guns were, "Stay the hell away from me and my brother!" She jammed her knee into his crotch.

"Ah," he grinded his teeth wondering why she had to go that far.

Coleman laughed, "Oh man."

"What are you laughing at? Huh?" She asked as she made her way to the bar, "I can't believe you serve pigs like him." She grabbed her purse before taking one last gulp of her drink, "But then again you're a man."

She turned to him, "And all men are pigs."

"Oh that hurts baby," he teased her.

She looked down at the rest of the bloody Mary and flung the liquid on his shirt, "Have a nice night Coleman."

* * *

_**10:44-Motel 8, room 10**_

"When?" He asked her, he knew he wouldn't survive much longer.

"Faith?" He asked, but heard nothing.

She looked up for one second just before he spoke of the time table for his departure and in that one second she saw peeking Tom.

* * *

_**10:44:25-Jakes Bar**_

He looked at her not amused by her behavior as she walked away from the bar and glanced back at Logan who shouted, "I'll get you for this my pretty!" He laughed at what he said, he laughed like a man that was drunk.

Coleman watched as Logan slowly got up from the ground, "That's it." He walked from the bar to grab one of the chairs, "You!" He pulled him off from the ground, "You will sit here until Ric Lansing picks up your drunk ass! Afterwards never come back to my bar Baldwin!"

* * *

_**10:44:35- Motel 8, room 10**_

"Faith?" Ian turned around only to follow her gaze, "Honey, what are you looking at?"

A crack of thunder hit and she blinked, "Um nothing."

* * *

**_10:44:45_**-_**Out skirts of Port Charles, Motel 8, lower level near an alley**_

He quickly leaned back against the wall with his heart racing and his mind cursing at himself, _shit, shit, shit, shit! _

* * *

**_10:44:50- Motel 8 room 10_**

"Faith, when do I leave?" He asked her, but was confused as she got up from the white carpet to the window.

She scanned the alley from the window noticing the homeless guy was gone, "Ian?" She turned to him.

"What?" He got off his knees.

* * *

**10:45-Jakes Bar**

"I'm sorry, please don't kick me out Coleman, you're the only bartender that'll serve me," Logan looked up at him, "Here…" He reached for his wallet, "Buy yourself another shirt."

Coleman looked at him feeling sorry for him, "Put your money away…Look." He pulled a chair next to Logan.

"I know it's hard cause your father wasn't around, your best friend is dead and then you've got all the horrors from Iraq and the one person you thought you'd never lose, left you for another guy, but you've got to be better than this…" He leaned in looking around, "You want some advice?"

"Anything," he looked at him desperate.

"Okay, I find the best way to catch your enemies off guard is to act like life has never been better, wish Lulu good luck, end the public taunting with Johnny, pretend the nightmares you have from Iraq don't exist, act like your perfect and they'll never see you coming…"

* * *

_**10:45:30-Motel 8, room 10**_

She knew if she left the room now looking for the man she had spotted in the window that whoever it was would be expecting her, she had to think one step ahead of him and act like she hadn't noticed anything.

"For a doctor, you sure like to live low." She put on a face of displeasure of the filth in his room.

"Well I have to, I can't be Dr. Devlin and be…It doesn't matter, did you…"

"Yes, in a few months we'll be able to launch a full strike against Morgan and Corinthos, I've got my people in place."

"I don't have months! I need to get out now!" He yelled at her, "A little boy is in the hospital because of me…And when Morgan finds out that I, I put the bullet in that kid's…"

* * *

_**10:45:33- Jakes Bar**_

"Which means," Coleman lingered.

"Which means no more bar fights," Logan looked down at the card on the floor.

Coleman picked up the card before he could, "And Claudia Zacchara definitely won't help you. I'll tell you right there," he got up from the chair, "She loves her brother."

"That's her weakness," he looked up at him.

"Right, which means she's not gonna help you get Lulu back or kill her brother."

"No, but…"

"But she's trouble and I'm gonna do you a favor," he ripped up the card, "You touched her and she nailed you in the balls, you double cross her and she'll kill you." Coleman insisted, "So take it from me, you want to work up alliances with people?"

Entering the bar he interrupted smiling, "So how can I be of help?"

"Get this drunk out of my bar," Coleman placed his hand on Logan's shoulder.

"Where's my dad?" Logan looked at him not entirely happy to see him.

"In Manhattan, I owe him a favor so, come on…" Ric Lansing motioned as he walked to them.

Logan looked up at Coleman, "Thanks I guess."

"No problem," Coleman walked to the back of his bar to leave the two alone.

"So," Ric took a seat, "What brought this on?"

"What do you think?" He looked up at him with his eyes wide.

"I think you're tired of Johnny Zacchara," he slightly laughed at the man's small hatred of him.

"You would be too if he stole the woman you love," Logan spoke with such hatred, "Oh wait that's why you hate Jason Morgan, he stole Elizabeth Webber from you…er well…Nah I won't go there."

"You want my help or not?" Ric was becoming quite annoyed by his antics.

Logan nodded, "I want revenge and I heard you're the best in town to accomplish that."

"Well you've come to the right place," Ric grinned, "Let's go…Can you walk?"

"Yeah…" He slowly got up, "Don't make me regret this."

"Well don't make me regret that I've come to help you, do something for me and I'll do something for you my friend, that's how this business works," Ric placed his hand on Logan's back as they walked out to the parking lot.

* * *

_**10:47- Outskirts of Port Charles, Motel 8, lower level near an alley**_

He stood tall using the walls of the nearby alley, the alley that was located at the side of Devlin's room, to keep him from collapsing, "No…He…He's a doctor…"

The words played in his mind over and over again, making it hard for him to walk let alone think straight, it made him sick. He threw up in an empty barrel thinking of every time he had seen the man, flirting with Sam, smiling at Elizabeth, playfully waving at his sons, "That mother fucker."

* * *

_**10:47:30- Motel 8, room 10**_

"Shh…" She took off her black coat, "I'll protect you. You just need to keep acting like yourself, that obnoxious doctor that I fell in love with." She put her arms around his neck.

He kissed her lips, "I've missed you." He looked at her weak in the eyes, "I know the idea was for me to setup base here, but baby, I've got enough money saved to last us for the rest of our lives."

"When I come back from my trip we'll solve everything, you wait two weeks." She looked at him knowing by then she'd have an answer, "Can you hang in long enough for two weeks?"

"Yeah," if he watched his tracks he could.

"I can wait forever if it means ruling the world with you," he slowly smiled seeing her blush.

"Ruling the world?" She teased, "No just Port Charles."

"Fine Port Charles," he leaned into kiss her, "God it's been too long." He picked her up and set her down on the bed where the two made love for the first time since they departed months ago.

* * *

_**10:48-Back of Jakes Bar**_

Coleman walked from the back of his bar to his phone dialing a number.

"Morgan…"

"Hey Jason, look I know it's late, but if you've got the time and the money, I've got a tip you might be interested in…" Coleman smiled at how he easily it was to manipulated certain people to get what he wanted.

Jason hung up the phone from his penthouse and glanced at the coffee table where his box of pain lied. He walked back to the couch, happy that it was the first night he was alone without Spinelli there to annoy him about Elizabeth or Jake, but at the same time he missed his presence. Taking a seat on the couch he looked at the clock, it was about 10:50. He wondered what she was doing as he looked down at the photos of her, Jake and Cameron. He knew or well he hoped the children were asleep, but he wondered what she was doing, was she sleeping, was she dreaming of them and the life she wanted to have with him?

* * *

_**10: 48: 30-Elizabeth Webber's House**_

"Cameron?" Elizabeth slowly came down from the top of the stairs still in jeans and a red top, "What are you doing out of bed?"

He looked up at her smiling and then back at the window.

"Cameron," she slightly laughed walking down stairs, "What are you looking at?" She thought maybe he might be looking at the full moon or the stars.

"Daddy," he pointed at the window.

"Lucky?" She excitedly smiled to build his excitement thinking that because he had pointed at the window that maybe Lucky had gotten off early and was making his way to the front door.

"No daddy," he looked away from her pointing at the window.

As she made her way down the last few stairs she looked at him confused, "You mean mommy's friend Jason?"

"Nooo," he said with agitation to her as she walked towards him, "Daddy." He insisted.

Taking a seat next to him, she followed his gaze to not only be confused, but scared as to what her son might have seen.

"Daddy?" She questioned.

"Yes mommy," he smiled, "He waved at me."

Now she was more than scared, "Honey why don't you sit on the couch and watch a little tv while I make a phone call."

"Okay." He smiled as she picked him up and brought him to the couch, "He was very nice mommy."

* * *

_**10: 49-Restrooms of Jakes Bar**_

She appeared behind the wall that led to the restrooms of Jakes having just heard Ric and Logan's newly developed alliance, "I guess we know what side you're on now."

Watching as Ric drove out of the parking lot with Logan in the front seat of his Mercedes she waited for her limo to pick her up.

"Thank you Harold," she smiled at the driver as he opened the car door, "No problem Miss."

Stepping into the limo that was dark she smelled something, "Trevors what?"

He turned the light on, "how did you know?"

"Because you have this stench about you that just screams I'm here," she grinned with hatred.

Trevor looked at her not amused as he thought back to Johnny's similar remark made just hours ago, "Just like your brother."

"Hey!" She pointed her finger at him, "Don't you talk about Johnny!"

"Oh Claudia calm down," he leaned back on the sofa, "It's amazing how as soon as I mention you to Johnny he defends you just as fast as you defend him, that really is remarkable."

"What do you want?" She annoyingly watched as Trevor fixed himself a drink in the limo, "Why do you do that?"

"Oh don't worry by the time I'm done with this drink, I'll be home, which reminds me," he knocked on the slide window, "Harold get going…"

Claudia rolled her eyes, "So what is it that you want to talk to me about?"

"Your father," he knew she'd be interested.

"What about my father? Is he close to croaking?" She leaned forward to the bar deciding to fix herself a drink.

"No," he laughed, "He's on his way out."

* * *

_**10:50-Outskirts of Port Charles, Motel 8, lower level near an alley**_

He wiped his mouth of bile that had risen in his throat and leaned against the wall slamming his fist against it while looking up at the dark sky, _a boy was shot by a doctor, a doctor who was supposed to save lives, not end them. _

He reached for his phone where he saw the Cruz had sent a text back at _10:45_:

**Who's the woman? Connection to boy shooting?**

Lucky looked back down the alley where Devlin's room was. Woman: Faith Rosco, Connection: Yes.

Knowing he was far away from voices that could hear he dialed Cruz's cell number, "Rodriguez…" He answered.

"Cruz, the woman is Faith Rosco."

"Faith Rosco?" He didn't know of the name.

"She was a rival mob boss to Sonny and Jason a few years ago, she's supposed to be dead."

"All of Sonny's enemies are supposed to be dead, but they never are," Cruz stated what Lucky knew was the truth.

He asked something pertaining to his text, "Lucky are they connected to the shooting?"

"Oh yeah," Lucky said without a doubt, "Where are you?"

"I'm about half an hour away," he knew that wasn't the answer he wanted to hear.

"Hmm okay, I don't know how much longer she's gonna be here," he looked down the alley.

"What are they doing now?" Cruz asked.

"I'm not sure, I left the area as soon as I heard his confession, Cruz he's a fucking doctor, we trusted him and he…he's just as bad as…"

"As the rest of them, I know, look, I'm gonna put my siren on, that should speed up the time, I'll turn it off when I get there," he flipped the switch where he could now go eighty on the freeway.

"Alright, should I call the commissioner?"

"Yeah if you can."

"Okay, I'll do, be careful."

"Hey you too, you've got a family to think about, don't do anything stupid, if she tries to leave, let her, we'll find her," he told his friend.

"I know, bye detective, bye Cruz," he smiled hearing the other man's goodbyes both not knowing it would be the last time they'd speak to each other.

* * *

_**10:50:05- Elizabeth Webber's House**_

She grinned, but didn't say anything as she picked up the phone to make one of two phone calls, "Jason?"

Putting his leather jacket on, he answered his phone surprised to see that she was calling him considering that he was just thinking of her, "Hey…"

"Can you come over right now?" She tried not to sound panicked, but considering what happened with him Michael and her longing need to see him since she hadn't been alone with him since he proposed, since before the shooting, she definitely needed him now.

"What's wrong?" He could sense fear in the few words she spoke.

"I'm sure it's nothing, but…" She walked away from the TV to a hall that divided the living room and the kitchen, "I just came downstairs from putting Jake to sleep and I found Cameron looking out the window. I thought he was looking at moon or the stars, but he said he saw 'daddy'."

"Well couldn't that be Lucky?" He didn't understand.

"No, Lucky's working and he said he wouldn't come see the boys till the morning and then I thought he was talking about you," she pressed her hand against her forehead.

Jason smiled at the idea, but instantly knew that it wasn't the case, "Who do you think he was talking about?"

"He kept saying daddy, like it could be his dad…" She wondered, she thought for one second, what if.

"Zander?" Jason questioned, it felt so weird saying his name, the man was dead.

"But Jason, he's never seen a picture of Zander," that was the eerie part, Cameron had no idea what his real dad looked like, so who was in the bushes?

"I'll be right there!"

* * *

_**10:51-Limo outside of Jakes Bar**_

"That's not possible," she looked at him scarce, "He's criminally insane, isn't he?"

"Hey I saw him at the Black and White Ball, I've watched him all these years, I don't know how he's gotten well so fast," Trevor looked at her seriously.

Claudia looked away from him like this had to be unbelievable, "He can not get out Trevor!"

He set his drink down, "Don't you think I know that!"

"Whose idea was it to get him out?" She looked at him cautiously.

"Oh like I'd really want him to come back and take everything I've been building for the past couple of year's while he went loony," he lifted his drink to take a sip of the vodka.

"Then who? Who Trevor would want that crazy man on the loose again?" She looked at him knowing he had the answer.

"Ric," he hated that his son was challenging him.

"Great your son, well that makes sense since you treated him like nothing all these years, kind of like how my dad treated me," she looked at him realizing just how similar her father was to Trevor.

"That's perfect," he suddenly thought of it.

"What is?" She looked at him.

"You and my son," he started to grin.

"You're sick you know that?" She looked at him with disgust wondering how he could setup his own son like that.

"It worked before," he gloated.

The light bulb suddenly went off, "So that's how you got the Alcazar properties, you tricked Ric by hiring someone to love him?" She nodded, "Harold!"

"What are you doing?" He looked at her, "I know how we can get out of this."

"If it includes me seducing your son and hurting his feelings, no, I won't do that," she looked away from him as the driver opened the slide, "Yes Ma'am."

Trevor looked at her, "What if I split the estate?" Obviously meaning the biz.

"How much?" She looked at him trying to secure Johnny's future in the business.

"Seventy-thirty," he bargained.

"Fifty-fifty," she strongly suggested.

"No," he looked at her like she had to be kidding, "Sixty-Forty." He knew she'd settle for it so he began to gloat, "Harold keep driving." He motioned the driver to close the slide.

"Not so fast old man," she grabbed his chin with her hand to show him she's boss, "And you guarantee that he'll never get out."

He pushed her hand away, "If he does get out, I'll make sure he won't live to reclaim his position." Trevor lifted his drink, "Do we have a deal?"

"Yes," she smiled gently hitting her glass against his, for now the deal would have to work, but once Anthony was out of the way, she'd begin working on getting Trevor out of the way.

"What about Johnny?" He asked hoping he'd be able to manipulate her to keep this from them as he encouraged Johnny to keep his new business investment from her.

"I'll deal with Johnny, you enjoy the rest of your drink and the next time I see you, is it too much to ask for you to invest in some Axe or just deodorant in general," she frowned with a slight smile insisting that he should listen to her.

"Do I really smell?" He looked at her.

"Yes Trevors," she looked away from him to take a sip from her vodka while he casually smelled his arm pits.

"Well, perhaps a little more Axe would do me some good," he drank the rest of his drink, "Stop laughing."

She tried to control her emotions but was having a hard time, "Okay…Trevors."

* * *

_**10:55-Outskirts of Port Charles, Motel 8, lower lever, nearby an alley**_

After seconds of thinking of what to do next, he made his last phone call of the night.

"Marty!" He quietly shouted from the alleyway that was located at the side of Devlin's room, "Where's the commissioner!"

"Um let me see if he's still here," he looked up at an almost empty station until he saw David Harper walking in.

"David!" He shouted springing up from his chair, "Where's Mac?"

"Marty! Put David on the phone!"

"I don't know where Mac is, I think I just saw him leave, who is it?"

"Lucky?" Marty asked in the phone, "David he wants to talk to you, he says it's urgent."

He took the phone from Marty getting ready to drink his third cup of coffee, "What's going on Lucky?"

Rubbing his neck he spoke into the phone almost unable to tell them what he just heard because he was so frantic, "Look what I'm about to tell you, you're not gonna believe, but I swear it's the truth."

"Lucky calm down," he was surprised at how rattled his co-worker was, "Lucky aren't you supposed to be going off duty soon?"

"Yeah," he looked down at his watch, it was eleven o' clock.

Lucky remembered back to what he heard making him sick all over again_, a doctor, a doctor shot an innocent boy_, "We over looked him."

"Over looked who Lucky? Give me a name," David couldn't help him unless a name was dropped.

"Hang on," Lucky looked down the alley towards Devlin's room where the lighting had changed, someone had opened the blinds, which meant play time was over.

"Spencer? Do we need to call back up? Give me your location." He looked at Marty demanding paper and pencil.

"I'm at the…motel 8…" He softly whispered.

"Lucky there's about five of those in Port Charles," David became more and more nervous at Lucky's sudden silence.

"I'll call you back," Lucky hung up sliding his phone into his pocket where he heard voices again.

"No…" David heard the phone click, "Damn…Who else knows where Lucky was under cover at?"

"Rodriguez, he left about half an hour ago to pick him up," Marty looked up at the cop who was trying to put pieces together.

* * *

_**10:56-Elizabeth Webber's House**_

Hearing the phone click she made a second call to the precinct hoping to get word of when Lucky might be done with work and if he could come by, at this moment she was so scared she didn't care who showed up.

David Harper looked at the phone that was ringing, "Ah, I'll get it."

"Spencer?" David cautiously asked, but instead heard the sweet voice of Lucky's ex-wife.

"David? This is Elizabeth Webber, I was hoping you could tell me when Lucky will be off tonight," she glanced at Cameron who was trying to keep his eyes open.

"Well," he paused moving his phone away from his mouth, "Did you find it Marty?"

"No sir, but here's a list of all the motels in Port Charles, all the motel 8's," he handed it to him.

"Okay," he put his phone back to his mouth before shouting at Marty, "And get me a squad together!"

"Um Elizabeth?" He hoped she hadn't hung up.

"Yeah," she could hear something going on in the background of the detective's phone.

"Yeah that's a negative on knowing what time he'll be off tonight," David began scanning down the lists of hotels in the area.

"Well can you give me a number to reach him?" She hoped he'd be able to help, but it was no.

"I'm sorry Elizabeth, first of all he's in the field right now and second of all we don't actually know where he is or a number to reach him at and the only one that knows is Rodriguez," David suddenly pulled the phone away from his mouth remembering he forgot to shout and order, "And keep trying to reach Rodriguez!"

"Oh, well…David?" She could hear whisperings.

"Um hang on," he looked away from his cops, "Elizabeth when I see him I'll tell him to call you but right now we've got a situation so I'm gonna have to go."

"Right, sorry to bother you guys…" She didn't realize or even think that they might busy.

"Wait," he could hear the disappointment "Is everything okay? I don't mean to be rude."

"No it's okay, I…I thought I saw someone around my house, but I have someone coming over so…"

"Do you want me to send a squad car out?" He felt bad that he had been so quick to get rid of her.

"No it's okay; just tell Lucky when you see him to come over to my place, just to call me." She asked and he assured her he would, but the occasion would never arise.

* * *

_**11:15-Motel 8, room 10**_

"Ian," she looked down at her lacey black bra that he wanted to take off of her.

"We only fucked once, come on it won't take long," he whined wanting her to stay.

"Are you kidding me? Only fucked once? We've been doing it like rabbits for the past twenty-thirty minutes…" She playfully pushed his chest away from her.

She got off the bed looking for her black top, "I know, but my partner is waiting for me to pick him up, this meeting was only supposed to be informative."

"And it was," he got off the bed putting his black shirt back on.

She put her skirt back on, "Darling…"

He walked towards her putting his arms around her, "Okay."

She moved her hands to his and smiled as he caressed his neck, "Come on Ian I really have to be going."

"Alright, I know…" He removed his arms from her and watched as she put her coat back on.

"Don't forget these," he held up her gloves.

She playfully took the gloves from his hand and kissed his cheek, "Soon my love we'll be together."

"I'm counting on it," he smiled as he grabbed her hat off the table and placed it on her head.

"How do I look?" She playfully asked while sliding her black shoes on.

"Sexy," he pretended he wanted to bite her.

"Oh stop it," she grabbed her purse and walked to the window where she saw the homeless man back in his original spot.

He opened the door, "Looks like the rain has lit up a bit."

* * *

_**11:22-Patrol Car**_

Detective Rodriguez looked up at the sky from his windshield, the rain had stopped. He could see the Motel 8's sign now, which was getting bigger by the second; he wasn't more then just a couple minutes away, ten to be thirteen to be exact.

* * *

_**11:23-Motel 8, room 10**_

"Thank god," she looked away from the window, "I hate the rain."

"Especially at night," she looked down at her watch, "At eleven-twenty-four."

He laughed as she walked to the doorway.

Standing outside his room he smiled at her, "Two weeks?"

"Two weeks," she raised her hand to his cheek, "You be a good boy."

"Alright mommy," he teased her back.

She kissed his cheek, "That a boy."

Ian watched as she slowly walked away from him, _two weeks_ he told himself, _two weeks._

* * *

_**11: 25-Outskirts of Port Charles, Motel 8, lower level near an alley**_

Lucky looked up as she approached him. He smiled like he had before, the only difference was that she smiled back and then stopped right in front of him.

"What are you doing out here in the rain? How much does a room here cost, Ian honey," she looked back at him who was still at his door.

"Like fifty bucks a night," Ian wondered what she was up to, she wasn't the generous kind.

She nodded glancing back down at the man, "Let me give you some money…"

"Thank you…" He tried to sound needy, but meanwhile had his pistol hidden under some newspapers that he had on him to appear as a blanket.

"Well let me see here," she opened up her purse, "It's just so dark out."

* * *

_**11:27-Patrol Car**_

Detective Rodriguez pulled into the Motel 8 Parking lot glancing down at the notes Lucky had given him on directions as to how to get to the area he was at for the place with suspicion of drug use was at the very back and much deserted part of the motel.

* * *

_**11:28-Outskirts of Port Charles, Motel 8, lower level near an alley**_

"How's a hundred? You can by yourself some beer, drugs, a good meal or some diapers," she grinned placing her hand on the revolver, the .378 magnum.

"What?" He looked up at her confused, it was the trap he fell for.

"Since you're a daddy and all, Lucky Spencer," she smiled removing her gun.

"Faith," Ian's eyes couldn't believe what he saw, "Faith no!" Ian shouted as the man he saw motioned in his jacket for his gun she fired three bullets into his chest.

* * *

**11:29-Patrol car**

"Shots fired! Shots fired! Let me repeat officer down, officer down, over!" He swerved the car in the parking lot trying to figure out where he had heard the shots, "We're at Motel 8 highway 67, on the outskirts of Port Charles, please is somebody there! Requesting back up and medical attention immediately!"

* * *

**11:30-Time of Death, Lucky Spencer, age 31.**

"Faith!" Ian ran out to her where he fell to his knees at the man.

"Oh Ian, stop helping him," she stuck her gun back in her purse.

"Why?" He asked while trying to find a pulse on the seemingly lifeless body.

"He's a cop," she placed her hands in her pocket.

He looked at her face in disbelief and then when she removed the hood to reveal the man's face Ian put his hand over his mouth, "Lucky…Lucky Spencer…Faith! I work with his ex-wife! His girl friend and brother are patients of mine!"

He looked away from her to apply CPR, "Come on Lucky, one, two, three…"

"Ian," she called his name wanting him to stop, but he didn't, "Ian!" She bent down to her knees, "He's the man I saw in the window…"

"He's the man you saw?" He asked for clarification, "No…" He didn't want to believe the only way for them to survive was to take the life of another.

* * *

_**11:32-Patrol Car**_

He put the car to a halt grabbing his gun and then grabbing the radio one last time, "This is officer Rodriquez, requesting back and medical attention, please if somebody is there, pick up! We might have an officer down!"

He ran from the car with his gun aimed low, he wasn't exactly following procedure, but he had to find his partner, his partner was a family man and he knew it should have been him. If Lucky Spencer was suffering from multiple gun shot wounds he knew it should have been him to take the assignment, he had nothing to lose while Lucky had everything.

* * *

_**11:33-Motel 8, Parking Lot**_

He emerged from the black limo, twisting the silencer on his hand gun wearing a black 1920's hat and coat.

* * *

**11:34-Outskirts of Port Charles, Motel 8, lower level, near an alley**

"Freeze!" Rodriguez shouted with his gun aimed, "Police!"

"Great," she murmured, "Like I was trying to tell you…"

"Shut up! Keep your hands hi…" He lost his voice as he saw the lifeless body on the ground.

"Lucky?" He called his name, but there was no response.

"Yeah, he's dead, I shot him," she revealed like she took pleasure in killing him.

"No," he said in disbelief, "He's got two sons!"

"What's a matter with you, and you!" He looked at Devlin, "You shot a little boy!"

"A little boy!" He repeated, "You're gonna rot in hell for this."

"Probably, but I'll take my chances," she started to walk passed him,.

"Don't move!" He insisted he would shoot her.

"If you were gonna shoot me you would have done it already," she shrugged her shoulders.

He laughed hoping he could bluff, "I've got the place surrounded!"

"No you don't," a voice came from behind shooting a single bullet from his silencer.

* * *

_**11:35-Motel 8, down yonder from the alley.**_

He lowered his weapon seeing the man's late reaction and then his brains being splatted on the brick walls along with half his head blown off.

As the body fell to the ground she looked at him, "What the hell took you so long?" She looked at Mr. Moreau.

"Just be happy that I'm here, must you always complain!" He walked towards the bodies, "Darling we must be going, I've heard from your partner, he's walking into the facility as we speak."

"He is?" She knew if that was the truth then they were gonna have a real problem on their hands.

"Yeah which means we need to go." He wasn't entirely in a fantastic mood, he didn't enjoy killing cops or men with families.

"No shit," she turned to Devlin who was on the ground wondering what the hell just happened.

"Honey," she put her hand on his shoulder, "It had to be done."

"No it didn't!" He got up from the ground, "Nothing had to be done! You just shot two cops!"

"Who were going to arrest you!" Faith looked at him like he had to be joking playing the moral card right now.

"Faith!" Mr. Moreau shouted, "We must leave, the police will be here soon."

"Oh and what am I supposed to do? Go back into my little hut and pretend nothing happened?" Ian looked at them, "Am I supposed to hide the bodies?"

"No, pack your things, and give the manager ten grand, he won't ask any questions." She handed him the wad of cash that she also had tucked in her purse.

"I'll see you in two weeks, don't give me that look," she could see his desperation, "This will work."

"No, you're wrong," he took the cash, "It could have worked and now, it won't." He looked down at the dead officers and walked back into his room scrambling his things together.

"Always so dramatic," she turned to Mr. Moreau, "When did he arrive?"

"Minutes ago, they're doing a background check," he informed her which meant they had even less time.

"To the limo," he motioned her to walk with him.

"To the limo," she smiled walking with him when she forgot something, "Get the car."

"Faith!" He quietly shouted.

Running back to what would be a future crime scene she opened her purse and threw a card next to the blood draining from their bodies.

* * *

_**11:30-Psychiatric Facility for the Criminally Insane**_

"Sir a," he looked down at his clipboard, "A Spencer English is here to see you?" He looked up at the man sitting in the hospital bed.

He wasn't amused by the fact that it was so late, but hearing the man's name made him laugh, "Spencer English? That's sounds like a damn MI-6 agent!" He flared his arms around in the air.

The doctor rolled his eyes at the man's dramatics, "Sir he's a psychiatrist, he specializes in schizophrenia."

"And that makes it okay?"

"Excuse me," the man appeared from behind the doctor with two security guards behind him.

"I'm sorry, Mr. English I don't think he's up to see anyone tonight, it is very late," the doctor turned away from the man in the bed, "Perhaps when…"

"Mr. Zacchara," The man walked passed the doctor speaking in a English accent, "I'm Mr. English, Spencer English to you."

"What kind of quack is he? He's got a mustache, a goatee and a top hat like the English wear!" He looked at the doctors like he wasn't going to comply with the man.

"I'm deeply offended sir, but I'm gonna forget what you just said, doctor…" He looked at him and the guards, "I'll take over from here, I'll let you know if I have any problems."

"Don't leave me in here with this guy! Where's my lawyer!" He shouted.

"That won't be necessary," Mr. English looked at Anthony straight in the eyes, "Will it?"

Anthony Zacchara was a man known for many things, but a fool, no, he certainly wasn't a fool and as he saw the glimmer in the eyes of the man that stood before him, he knew that causing anymore trouble would be a grave mistake.

"No," he looked away from Mr. English, "I'll be fine." He looked at the doctor and the guards, "A little therapy wouldn't hurt."

"Alright Anthony," the doctor smiled at his sudden cooperation, "Let's go." He motioned the guards to leave with him as he closed the door to let the gentlemen work his magic on the criminally insane man in the bed.

After they left Spencer English set his briefcase on the nearby chair on the bed and then wandered to windows looking at the clock, he knew time was precious, it always was, so he needed to get in get out and assure that the deal was still in place.

He stood at the windows and slowly closed the blinds, "You know I've been waiting a long time for this."

"Oh you have? Well I wish I could say the same, but I have no idea who you are and I'm pretty sure you're not a therapist or psychiatrist," Anthony continued to analyze his behavior hoping to be able to place the man.

Locking the door, he looked at window of the door where he saw his reflection, "You're right, I'm not who I said I am, dad."

Pulling down the blinds he took his hat off and turned around to face the father, the father he hadn't seen in nearly ten years.

"You know, the day you set up my death," he took off his badge.

"The day the Port Charles Police Department gunned me down," he removed his glasses.

"The day the woman I loved held me in my arms while the mother of my child watched as I took my final breaths," he pulled of his mustache.

Standing at foot of his bed, removing his goatee and placing it in the hat along with the other materials to his disguise, he smiled, "That was a good day."

"But," he tossed the hat into the chair where his briefcase was.

"I don't think it'll be as good of a day," he walked around the foot of the bed to his father's bedside.

"It won't nearly be as good of a day as the day we take over the Corinthos-Morgan organization," he grinned.

Anthony slightly laughed, "Do you know what you're risking being here?"

"Yes," he sat down.

He smiled, finally, a man ready to take over the business, finally, a man who respected what he worked all his life for, "I'll be in touch."

He nodded, "I'll be expecting your call."

"Until then, get out of sight, if Trevor, if Ric, if anyone sees you…"

"I know," he got up from the bed, "Everything will be ruined."

"Yes it will, but my son is way too smart to make a mistake like he just made."

"I came soon as I got word," he turned to the chair.

"Word from who?" Anthony became skeptical, was his own son already working to take the business away from him? Much like Claudia and Johnny?

"Helena Cassadine," he looked at him knowing he didn't know the woman. While he let his father be puzzled for a moment he opened his brief case and removed a secret compartment that held tow .48 caliber pistols.

"Cassadine?" Anthony looked at him son confused.

He nodded as he tucked both guns behind his back under his jacket, "Nicholas's grandmother, you met him by the way," he closed his suit case.

"At the Black and White ball?" He was sure his father would remember such an event.

Putting his hat on, "Don't give me that look father. I know you tried to kill her." He slipped on his glasses.

"But I didn't," he looked at his son more serious than ever, "I didn't." He knew that Emily Quartermaine had been the love of his son's life, why would he kill her?

"I know, I know you didn't kill her," he put his mustache back on, "But it still hurts that you tried, I mean not to say that I wouldn't have minded making her hurt a bit…" He slight chuckled as he remembered the past while putting his goatee back on.

"Like a true Zacchara," Anthony smiled at the cold hearted man his son had developed into, he had no heart left, at least not one for the people that lived here or so he thought.

He grinned, his father always wanted his children to be as cold as him; trash, beat up, kill women as he killed his brother's mother. Grabbing his suit case he pulled up the blinds from the window.

"So this Helena Cassadine…" Anthony wanted to know everything there was to their meeting.

"Is in on it, she's agreed to help us and so have my friends," he looked over his shoulder as he saw the security guards walking down the hall to the room with worried looks on their faces.

Anthony could see this wasn't the place to discuss, "Time is running out, isn't it?"

"Yes," he walked to the door, "Always running out. When you get out…"

"I'll call you," he smiled once more to assure him, "Where will you go?" He asked he saw his son put his hand on the door knob.

Turning to him he smiled with vengeance, "To finish what Morgan failed to do."

"And what's that my son?" Anthony was confused, _what had Jason Morgan failed to do?_

"To finish some business he thought he had disposed of in the river," he looked at him not to ask for he didn't have time to explain how he knew the man was alive.

"Hmmm, you know his son killed her, you know that right?" He wanted to make sure that the Cassadine woman hadn't filled him in on the wrong ideas. Anthony didn't really care about the Alcazar business that his son had discovered for Trevor owned the Alcazar water front, the properties were a little more important then revenge.

"Yes I know Diego killed her, which is why when I go to pay him a visit in the Philippines, I'm not just gonna kill him, I'm gonna kill his wife and maybe his daughter, depends on the plane ride over there, you know the weather hasn't been so pleasant lately, I hate the rain."

"Well however you decide to deal with your grief, just be careful, you're the only one I trust to run the business as it should be," he prepared to say goodbye for what he knew would be months again before he saw him.

"I will dad; it was great seeing you." He hated saying goodbye, he just barely had ten minutes with him.

"How's your mother?" Anthony never really kept in touch with his mother, all he knew was that many years ago a one night stand with a lady at a strip club had resulted in a baby; Anthony promised he'd send support and when the child was old enough, he could truly join the family.

"She's dead," he knew Anthony would know why.

"Well she never could hold her liquor," he remembered back to his life, before the mob, before he met Claudia's mom or Johnny's mom, when he was just a rookie.

He chuckled, "No she couldn't."

"They're coming for you," Anthony knew his son better leave before all hell broke loose.

"Yes they are," he could see the guards making there way closer to the room.

He opened the door and smiled as his father said, "Welcome home Zander."

"Glad to be home," he smiled and quickly ran from the room hearing the guards chase after him with the Chief of Security shouting "IMPOSTER!"

He ran down the hall grabbing his cell phone from his pocket, "Where are you!"

"Calm down we're in route!" She yelled.

"Good, how long!" He shouted as he cut a corner and saw just down the hall was an exit only just as he motioned to take that path guards came out of no where guarding it, "damn."

"Fifteen minutes," she looked at the driver telling him to rush.

"Fifteen!" He shouted trying to runaway from the guards that were piling up.

"Sorry! But the meeting with Devlin went long!" She looked at her nails.

"Yeah I'm sure it did, old habits die hard, don't they honey?" He cut another corner where he saw the exit, "Meet me on the south lot."

He hung up running to the exit that seemed to be free until he got closer, "Ah hold it right there!"

"I said hold it! Turn around!" The Chief of security, a sixty-some year old lean man walked towards him with his .38 caliber pistol aimed right at him.

As he turned around he touched a small microscopic button on his glasses, "Okay, okay," he started to lower his case with his fingers spinning the numbered dials.

"Keep your hands where I can see them!" He shouted knowing the suspicious man was doing something odd with his case.

Nodding he held the brief case back up while glancing down at his watch, "Chief what is this about?"

"Shut up!" He stopped right in front of him, "Looks like you're on Port Charles most wanted list or you were until you died, what was it six years ago?"

"Four," he corrected him, "The man you're looking for, this man you think I am, he died a long ago…"

"Sir!' The other officers caught up, "What's the problem, we checked him out, why are we chasing him?"

"Because I said so," he wanted to explain, but because of the sensitivity of the issue he kept his mouth shut.

The old man didn't take his eyes off him, "Send a team of guards to check on Mr. Zacchara. Take this case and run a back ground check on Spencer English." He grabbed the briefcase from Zander's hand and handed it off to the officer behind him who caught Zander's grin which distracted him resulting in the case being dropped.

The old man looked away from him to see how the case landed, "Great." He looked up at his officers like they were clueless, "Um pick it up…" He suddenly stopped talking as the case opened up with a hypnotizing black and white wheel popping out.

"What the…" The officers looked up at Zander who responded with his English trained accent.

"I'm a psychiatrist…" He shrugged his shoulders to give himself the opportunity to check his watch, _15 seconds left_.

"Chief you should look at this; it's like something out of Batman it's…" He suddenly became confused as it stopped spinning and popped out a card.

"Keep your hands high, English," the man slowly backed away to look at what startled his officers.

The young officer next to him motioned to pick up the card, "No, I'll pick it up."

The old man warned him to stay put as he picked up the card, "Let's see what we have here."

"It's just a business card," he glanced at his watch as they grew interested in what the card really said, _5 seconds._

Zander smiled, in five seconds they wouldn't know what hit them and they wouldn't know who they'd be dealing with either.

"Is this a joke?" The old man looked up at him.

"What do you think?" He grinned back, _3_, _2_…His phone started ringing and as he reached for it the officers went berserk.

"Freeze!" They shouted, but instantly became distracted as a sound of something being released, turned on, _1_.

Suddenly smoke shot out of the case along with a loud seismic sound that not only gave the officers an ear ache, but jammed the security cameras in the entire facility.

_Like magic_, he thought as smoke began to fill the room he removed his double .48 caliber pistols and because of his state of the art glasses he could see their infrared bodies. "The devil wins my boys!" He shouted as he fired his weapons.

"Get him!" The officers shouted, but it was too late.

Running down the hall he let go of the guns, threw his hat off, tossed his glasses, removed the mustache and the goatee and then ripped his fake suit off him to reveal a black t-shirt and blue jeans and of course his infamous jet black hair.

"Where are you?" He asked as he pushed open the exit door.

"Look up," she looked down at him from a couple hundred feet.

"What happened to the limo?" he slightly laughed while walking from the building to where the helicopter was hovering.

"Long story," she threw down the ladder.

"Well it's a long trip to the Philippines," he grabbed hold of the ladder.

"Okay!" She shouted looking away from her lover to the pilot, "Mr. Morrow, get us to the nearest private airport!"

"Your wish Ms. Rosco is my command," he navigated the helicopter away from the mental institution for the criminally insane and dropped them off to his brother's private landing strip where he rented out Jax's airplane to take a trip along the South China Sea.

Slowly floating in the foggy airs to the bright warm pigmented liquid spreading on the floor was the white card, the "business" card which would soon be known as his calling card.

In his last moments the Chief of Security opened his eyes to realize that he was not joking. Fear struck his body as he read the phrase one last time:

_**When the bullets fly and the smoke clears all that will be left standing is my vengeance over the blood of the angelic.**_

"God bless us all," he slowly closed his eyes.

* * *

Hey thanks for reading that long chapter! Yikes! But next chapter is spixie and possibly Jolu. So don't forget to review! The plot thickens! But I'll elt you know that the stuff with Faith, Zander and Mr. Moreau develops much later in the story, so we won't see these characters again for while.


	14. Chance of a lifetime

Chapter 14: Chance of a lifetime

**Author's Note:**

Okay so I'm a little surprised that I didn't get many reviews from the last chapter. I know it was really long and a little complicated, but overall thought it was compelling and was waiting for some people to be surprised. Okay well the chapter has maxie, Spinelli, Johnny, and a few other characters. In the next couple of chapters it will become very clear as to the significance of this story with Lucky & Cruz being dead. So enjoy and don't forget to review, if you're confused about something don't be afraid to email me and I'll write you back with an explanation. But I really need and appreciate the reviews, good or bad, etc. Thanks!

* * *

_**The next morning, 4 am, Motel 8 on the outskirts of Port Charles**_

"There's his car," David pointed to it as he and two other officers drove into the parking lot.

"Alright, Marty, go talk to the manager see if he heard anything suspicious last night, Bill," he glanced at him, "Come with me."

David walked to the abandoned car with Bill and quickly became alarmed at the state it was in.

"Give me that flash light," he put his hand out, "Bill, give me that flash light." He raised his voice for it was pitch dark out still.

Bill hesitantly gave him the flashlight feeling like they were about to make a discovery that they didn't want to make.

After a few minutes of looking inside the car he was almost done making his check when he saw the radio, the walk-e-talkie used to communicate back and forth to the station, "Well I'll be damned, no wonder we couldn't contact him and he couldn't contact us, someone cut the damn wire."

As he glanced away from the car, he saw a notepad with scribbled words, "Bill stay with the car." He ripped the paper from the notepad and quickly got out of the car flashing the light on the paper, "Bill stay with the car." He looked up at the back of the motel hearing the officer in doubt, "Bill just do what I say!" He looked down at the paper realizing he was just about to set foot in the steps of his co-worker.

He stopped in his tracks seeing room 10, seeing the alley, seeing the shelter of where a homeless man, of where Lucky Spencer was supposed to be.

His hand trembling, the light flashed on the wet dirty road, "Lucky!" He shouted, "Cruz!" He yelled, but heard nothing; he heard an eerie silence in the dark.

He took a breath. With his hand that held the flashlight on his hip and his other hand pressing against the arch of his nose, he closed his eyes trying to make sense of it all. As he opened his eyes, he stepped forward afraid of what he was about to find in room ten. Bringing the flash light forward it shined on something bright, something white. Turning to the ground to where he saw the bright color he flashed the light on it. Intrigued, he bent down where he saw a card. Taking out a thin white handkerchief he picked up the card that had the image of two pistols crossing each other. As he wiped what he thought would be water on the front of the card, his eyes slowly grew wide, "oh my…" He raised the flash light first seeing a pool of blood and then as he saw something that made his stomach turn, remains of something against a brick wall, bone fragments, brain tissue, things that belonged to bodies that weren't there.

"Bill!" He shouted while his eyes fell upon the card covered in blood and the words that sent a chill down his spine.

"Yeah?" He and Marty ran in.

He stood up from the ground with his hand over his mouth, "Get forensics down here."

"…And get the commissioner on the phone…we've got a double homicide on our hands."

Two days went by and the police department was in doubt, heavy doubt that two of their best officers had been killed in the line of duty. Because the town had seen so much tragedy in the past couple of months, including the shooting of a young boy, Mac Scorpio had made the ultimate decision to not only mislead the families of the officers, but he made it clear to his precinct that word of Lucky Spencer's and Cruz Rodriguez's disappearance was to never leave the department, even when searching for them they were to be as silent as whatsoever and actions in not following orders would result in him making sure they were to never wear a badge or a blue uniform ever again.

* * *

"Maxie," she spoke her name from inside her office, "Will you come into my office?" Kate asked letting her finger off the button of the machine that she often used to reach her assistants.

She had been sitting in her office for some time now ignoring all her morning phone calls and thinking back to the conversation she had with her mother two nights ago. When she questioned her mother on when she was going to inform her that her son lived in Port Charles her mother just sighed telling her, _"Honey you haven't called in years, Couture magazine isn't even delivered here in the small town I live in so how am I supposed to know that you're no longer the editor, but deep down, why do you care now? You didn't care then why is it so important now?"_

The truth of it all was that as much as Kate Howard told herself that she didn't care, that it wasn't important. The truth was that she did care, that it was important for her to face the mistakes of her past. The problem was she didn't know how to do it without exposing her past, that was her first excuse, but the second was that she knew he would ask who his father was and she didn't even know, he was gonna have questions for answers she didn't have. As for the answers she did have, she knew she'd break his heart and Spinelli had a good heart. Such a good heart that she wouldn't want her reason to abandon him to destroy that, she wouldn't be able to live with herself if that were to occur.

She heard polite knock on the door, "Ms. Howard?"

"Come in Maxie," she swerved her chair to face the girl walking through her office.

Maxie closed the doors behind her, "You wanted to see me?" She scarcely walked towards Kate's desk wondering if this was about the task from the other day where she went a step further and wrote an article to rebuttal against an article that Kate didn't like the title of.

"Sit down," Kate smiled politely while she looked through papers on her desk for the materials Maxie sent in to her.

"Okay," Maxie gladly took a seat in the comfy white chair she stood next to.

She sat trying to act as professional as possible, but meanwhile was an emotional wreck for this could very well make or break her career in fashion.

"Maxie, if I first may ask, what gave you the idea to write your own article?" Kate asked while trying to find the folder on her desk.

"Well," she began to talk as if she knew what she was saying, but suddenly stopped as she flashed back to where it all started, Jason's penthouse, the kitchen, his words of encouragement, "Spinelli I guess." A small smile formed on her face.

For a second Kate looked up from her desk, forgetting to look for the papers, "Spinelli?" She questioned for now every time someone mentioned his name she had this little voice inside of her saying, _that's my son_.

"Yeah, but he didn't write it, he just edited it for me, made sure I had the grammar and punctuation right…" She remembered waking up yesterday morning, quite early a phone call waking her up.

"_Dad?" She walked into his bedroom with the phone, "David Harper is on the phone, he says it's urgent." _

_Mac rolled over to his clock that read 4:15, "Well it must be if he's calling this early." He took the phone from her. The loud shouting her father made afterward led her to believe it was quite serious so she began to walk back to her bedroom. _

"_I'll be right there," he hung up, "Maxie?" _

"_Yah?" She turned to him as she put her hands on his door._

"_Um Spinelli was here last night working on something for you, I don't know if he's still on the couch, but," he quickly became interrupted._

"_Spinelli was here?" She asked and then remembered he drove her home. _

"_Yeah he and I drank nectar of the gods err I mean Orange Soda anyway, its right outside your door…" He told her and she suddenly realized that was what she tripped on._

She slightly laughed as she remembered falling hard on the floor and cursing at whatever she had tripped on, "Anyway the idea…" She began to get right down to the answer, "Came to me-well him when he was making me breakfast."

"Spinelli can cook?" She asked leaning back in her chair amused by the thought.

"Don't tell anyone that I said that cause he would kill me if people knew that he could make really, really good French toast," she unintentionally emphasized.

She slightly laughed, "Right, continue," she motioned.

"Well anyway I was telling him about the article and talking about how much I disagreed with it and he just said 'why don't you write a response' and I was like 'I can't do that' and he was like 'why' and I told him why and he some how convinced me that I could do it…" She started to rant.

Kate smiled, her son had good instincts because Maxie was very good at this. He could spot talent just as well as she could, "Maxie…"

"Yeah," she looked up from her hands that had begun to sweat.

"I met with the designers of the magazines yesterday afternoon…" She paused seeing how nervous she was, "Maxie relax, we thought it was brilliant."

"Really?" She asked in disbelief.

Kate nodded with pleasure, "Yeah, the second they read it they thought it was funny, it was new, it was genius. Maxie we want to give you your own column," she smiled knowing how it felt to make a long lasting impression to keep a job.

Maxie leaned back in the chair with a grin so wide on her face that she couldn't help but cry tears of happiness. She looked away from Kate for a few minutes with her hand on her mouth as Kate continued to describe the compliments the designers gave her.

"Honey? This is good," Kate was a little surprised by her tears, but then again she cried too when she was told she was going to be editor of Couture.

"I know," she looked back at Kate wiping her tears, "It's just that, things like this, they don't happen to me very often, rarely in fact."

"Well," Kate got up from her chair grabbing the box of tissues, "Maxie you worked hard to get to this point in your life."

She grabbed a tissue to wipe her tears, "It's been so hard without Georgie and Cooper, the only person that's helped me get through all of this is Spinelli, without him, this wouldn't be possible…"

Once again that little voice in her head was saying all sorts of things making her proud that her son was a good friend.

Kate leaned back on her desk, "Maybe Mr. Spinelli deserves a visit."

"What do you mean?" Maxie looked up at her.

"I mean, why don't you take the rest of the day off," Kate placed the tissues on her desk.

"But there's like a ton of…" She knew a lot of work needed to be done.

"Lulu can do that, I'm gonna have to call in another assistant anyway because you are officially hired at Crimson Magazine, you'll have your own office so you can privately write whatever you want…" Kate crossed her arms smiling.

It was like a dream come true only too good to be true, "Kate, don't get me wrong, I am thrilled by the opportunity, but…"

"But what? Maxie you're good at this, your instincts at least in the fashion world are right on…Look if you're worried about the fact that you don't have a college degree in English…don't worry, not everything can be taught in school," she smiled getting off her desk and walking back to her chair.

"If you want Spinelli to edit your pieces or the editor that's fine, whatever you want we'll do, now," she sat down, "Get out of here, go celebrate..."

"Really?" She slowly got up from the chair.

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow morning at around seven for you to sign the papers," she smiled.

She sprung up from the chair, "Thank you Kate, I promise you won't regret this."

"Good," she smiled, "Now go have fun…"

"I will thank you," Maxie walked out of the office where Lulu turned to her.

"Did you get fired?" Lulu grinned hoping she was so she could claim victory and quit her job.

"No, I just got promoted," she grabbed her purse smiling in satisfaction at Lulu's dropped jaw, "Bye," Maxie walked to the elevators waving as the doors closed.

Lulu looked away as Kate's voice came on the machine, "Now that Maxie is promoted, you are now the first assistant and until I hire a second assistant you have to do everything."

She cursed under her breath, "great." As she heard the phone ringing, she wondered how the day could get any worse, but unfortunately for her it was about to get much worse before it could get any better.

* * *

Spinelli sat at the lonely desk pressing his hands against the arch of his nose, "So tired."

"Spinelli! Keep working!" Jason walked in with another orange soda.

"Stone cold…" Spinelli whined, "We've looked everywhere! We checked the security video, the neighboring streets of the warehouse, we checked every single person that works for you and Mr. Corinthos…"

"Don't say it…" Jason backed away from him.

"I'm sorry, but there's…there's just nothing for us to go on no where else for us to look…" He frowned.

He looked away from his computer taking a deep sigh, he knew this wasn't what he wanted to hear, "Stone cold, I want to find out just as much as you do, who killed little Michael, but…"

"It's okay," Jason said in frustration turning his back from Spinelli, "Just…just…" Jason folded his hands on his face as he walked to the fireplace where there was a picture of Michael.

Spinelli watched from afar as Jason began to breakdown, seeing him quietly weep for the boy he had raised gave Spinelli the strength to keep looking. Even though he was mentally exhausted, even though he wished he could go interact with other people mainly Maxie whom he hadn't seen since the night they danced in Kelly's, even though he had been up all night and could barely keep his eyes open, he knew that his dearest friend wasn't going to be able to move on until Michael's shooter was brought to justice.

"I'll keep looking, maybe there's something we missed," he turned to his computer.

"No Spinelli, you didn't miss anything, you've done a good job," Jason frowned wiping the tears from his eyes.

"You know taking a break for a little while, waiting a few days is not giving up on little Michael, you should see him, maybe he'll give you some inspiration to look in a place that you haven't looked before…"

Jason nodded, "Your right…I just…" He took a seat, "I can't, I can't look at him without thinking of what he used to be like and what he might never be again…"

"Aw Stone Cold," Spinelli got up from the chair to the couch where he sat down and put his arms around him, "Little Michael loved you, he loved the Valkyrie, he loved the God Father, he loved all of us and even though he can't tell us, doesn't mean it's not true."

Spinelli might be annoying, he might be the pest that bugs Jason too much about claiming his family, but Spinelli sure did know how to speak the truth in such a way that sounded heartening.

"I'm sorry, I know you don't like it when I touch you," he leaned out of the hug knowing Jason didn't particularly like hugs at least not from him, "I'll just go to my room."

"No," Jason looked at him with tears in his eyes, "Thank you for what you said about Michael, I'm gonna tell Carly and Sonny that."

"Well it's only the truth," he slightly frowned looking down at his hands, "It's the only way I know how to deal with losing people…" He paused thinking of everyone he's lost.

He got up from the couch to the stairs, "Cause if I don't think like that Stone Cold, if I don't think that they didn't love me like Fair Georgie, if I don't think that they didn't care like the Angel of Mercy Jolene, if I don't think that my own parents…" He couldn't even find a way to describe his emotions for them, "Then I don't know how else to move on."

Jason slowly nodded, "I meant to ask you where you were the other night…I know you were at Kelly's working, but when I left here around 11 you weren't…"

"Um I was, I was saying goodbye to Georgie," he walked to the closet, opened the door and found his small box of pain.

Jason was slightly humored the way he took after him, "So you've got your own now…"

He nodded, "Enough has happened to me that I figured I should start one." He walked over to the couch.

Sitting down he removed the lid and showed Jason the candle, "You know I never really believed in miracles Jason."

Jason's eye brows rose at the mention of his real name, "Why not?"

"Because sometimes no matter how hard you wish, no matter how much you pray and you hope sometimes things never change, but…" He picked up the candle, "This changed that."

Jason was slightly confused and so Spinelli explained, "The night I found Georgie in the park…" He took a second to breathe where he surprisingly felt Jason's hand on his shoulder for support.

"I put this candle on the steps I found her on, I realized the only person that ever thought I was special, that I was worth the trouble…was gone," he tried not to cry, but he ended up looking into Jason's eyes with a few tears building up in his eyes.

"The other night when I was working at Kelly's, well that morning, well…" He knew it had started long before that, "Since we started working together on who killed Fair Georgie, finding out who the text message killer was….Maxie and I have grown close."

Jason nodded, "Sometimes people grow close in a tragedy, in a horrible event…" It reminded him of he and Elizabeth, how Lucky's supposed death many years ago had started their beautiful friendship that how today evolved into love.

"We were closing up at Kelly's and she saw something that reminded her of the clean cadet and she asked me to dance," he remembered back to how sweet that moment was, how he would hold that memory in his heart forever.

Jason softly smiled, how ironic was it that something he had done with Elizabeth was now happening to Spinelli, "And let me guess when she danced with you it wasn't like dancing with him."

Spinelli nodded, "No it wasn't she said and there was this moment Jason, this moment where I looked into her eyes and I wanted to kiss her."

He looked down at the candle, "But I didn't, I've never kissed her when we've had those moments."

"They've happened more than once?" Jason questioned and he nodded, "So many times Stone Cold that it's beginning to ware down on me and when I took her home and after I talked with Mac, it finally hit me."

"The guilt?" He asked again.

"No that she was really gone…That I was never gonna see her again, that a part of the reason she was dead was because of me, that finding out who killed her didn't bring her back, I never really dealt with my grief until that night…"

"It does kind of hit you doesn't it?" Jason remembered the guilt he felt for his father, how he never thought he'd miss him or care that he was dead, but once he was gone, it finally occurred to him what he lost.

"Somehow, at whatever time it was, I was at Georgie's grave and I was still emotional from earlier and suddenly it started snowing…"

"Snowing Spinelli?"

"Yes, I know how that sounds, but I remember tracing her name and crying to god why saying goodbye had to be so hard and then I saw white flakes, I saw things and heard things Jason that you wouldn't believe…Her candle reappeared right on her grave, lit." He looked at the candle, almost proud if himself that he could talk about this and not break down.

Jason was speechless, but he knew what Spinelli talked of, there were things that had happened to him that he never thought would happen, that he didn't believe in, but it didn't really matter if no one else believed in them, as long as he did then that's all that mattered.

"I was speechless myself and then the wind came by and blew her candle out and it…well Stone Cold…the point is I believe in miracles, I believe in hope, I believe in it all now because even though she's gone, she showed me them, it's something I'll never forget, so don't by any means give up on Michael or your chance at a life with Elizabeth and her sons," he smiled at Jason.

"You know I knew there was a reason I kept you around," Jason put his hands on his shoulders trying to fight back the rest of his tears.

Spinelli smiled, "Thank you."

Jason sniffled, "So why don't you take a nap and I'll be back in a few hours, say noon?" He looked down at his watch, "I'll wake you up."

"Alright," Spinelli put the candle back in the box, "Tell Carly and Sonny my regards…"

"Since when did you start speaking English?" Jason looked at him as he put the box away in the closet.

"I don't know, I just don't find the need to talk like that all the time," he shrugged his shoulders.

"You know Spinelli, Georgie isn't the only one," Jason got up from the couch to see his confused face.

Jason walked towards him, "I think that Lulu and Maxie know how special you are and you're definitely worth the trouble," Jason winked.

He put his leather jacket on, "Don't ever forget that, you can always depend on me."

"I'll call you if something changes," he walked to the door not realizing how talking with Spinelli had changed his mood to a lighter note.

Just as he opened the door Milo was just about to knock, "Hey Jason."

"Milo?" He was confused, "You here for Spinelli?"

"Um yeah," he nervously looked inside for him.

"Spin-." He started to yell, but Spinelli came from behind, "Hello."

"Hey, you have time to talk?" Milo hinted with his eyes like they should talk.

"Yeah, Stone Cold was just leaving." Spinelli glanced at Jason.

"Right," Jason walked through the doorway, "I'll be back around two for a little bit and then I'm gonna go back to the hospital."

Spinelli waved goodbye as Jason walked to the elevators.

"Come in," Spinelli motioned Milo to walk in.

Milo walked in turning to Spinelli as he closed the door, "So how are things?"

"Okay," Spinelli slightly laughed, he had seen better days but as of right now things were okay.

"Good, did you and Maxie manage to take care of the diner without me?" Milo smiled remembering how he gave Maxie a hard time when they were working.

"Yeah we managed," he remembered the entire ordeal, "You want to hear about it over an ice cold beverage…" He tried to make orange soda sound tempting.

"Sure," Milo took a seat while Spinelli walked into the kitchen.

He came back minutes later, "Here you go…" Spinelli handed him a glass hearing Milo's gratitude, "Thanks."

Spinelli walked over to his desk pulling out the chair so he could face Milo, "So nothing much happened, the place did get busier and I lost my temper with Maximista, cut my hand…" He showed Milo and he expressed sympathy.

"Yeah, but Elizabeth patched it up and some how Maxie and I made it through the night," Spinelli took a sip from his orange soda bottle.

"Made it through the night? I sense a little more meaning behind those words," he grinned before taking another sip of his drink.

"We danced," Spinelli nervously whispered.

"What?" Milo pretended like he didn't hear it.

"We danced," Spinelli repeated a little louder.

"I'm sorry come again," Milo continued to be obnoxious.

"We danced!" Spinelli finally raised his voice.

"You dawg," Milo joked, "I'm just kidding, so you and Maxie shared a dance…keep going."

"Well don't get your hopes up," Spinelli slightly frowned.

"That bad?" Milo wondered if Spinelli had been a complete idiot and messed the moment up.

"No, it went well; Maximista and I danced to a glorious song. I held my arms around her, she placed her beautifully rounded head on my chest and I kissed her forehead…"

"And the problem is?" Milo didn't understand for it sounded nice to him.

"The problem, the problem is that she was crying in my arms, the problem is that when the dance was over and I looked into her eyes, I wanted to kiss her…" He took a sip from his drink.

"The problem Milo is that I think I might be falling in love with Maxie Jones," he took another sip from his drink, "Isn't that great?" He sarcastically smiled before taking another sip of his drink.

"Ouch," Milo knew that had to suck, "And you're sure Maxie doesn't feel the same for you?"

"Milo, she was grieving in my arms the other night for Cooper and Georgie, I haven't seen her since I took her home and I know your next question is going to be whether I'm over Georgie and the answer which I can not explain is yes," he said in a mouthful.

"Wow, so besides suffering from a heart ache you're doing pretty well then?" Milo had wanted to get to the point of his visit.

"And the fact that I haven't been able to find out who shot little Michael, yeah I'm doing well," Spinelli wondered what Milo was about to say.

"Good, good," Milo nervously set his glass down on the coffee table, "Because um there's something I've been meaning to ask you, well tell you." He looked down at his hands and began to crack his knuckles.

"Um Spinelli you're serious about the detective agency aren't you?" He looked up at Spinelli who looked worried for his friend.

"Yeah," he looked Milo wondering why he looked so tense, "Are you okay?"

"Spinelli I can't wait any longer, I can't wait a few more months to do this, I can't wait for someone to help us fund what we want to do. I need to get out of the business now."

"Are you in trouble?" For if that was the case he was sure Jason could help him.

"No, no," Milo nodded, "I'm not in trouble, far from it."

"Then why the need to…"

Mil got up from the couch interrupting him, "Spinelli I think we should stop looking for someone to fund our business…I say we put every penny we ever earned and we put it all into it."

"But isn't that kind of…I don't know stupid, I mean we're putting all our marbles in…"

"I know it's a gamble, but if we run out of money we borrow it from the bank, no one is gonna turn us away because of our connections," he knew it would make sense, if they spent the money they had then they could always take hundreds of thousands out and by then they'd have investors.

"But I thought the idea was to not use them," Spinelli was a little confused.

"We're not," Milo saw Spinelli's doubt, "We're not asking them for money, but we're bound to have people who will think of us as Sonny's employees. It will take a while for us to well you know build a name for ourselves."

Spinelli had to agree with him, until they solved a few mysteries it was going to take a while for people to think they were legit, "So explain Mr. Big ideas how we're going to do this."

"Alright," Milo leaned against the desk, "We take out a loan for whatever we can't pay for."

"Which is everything," Spinelli looked at him for he didn't have a lot of money, maybe fifty grand at the most from what he earned from Alcazar and Jason, but fifty thousand wasn't going to cover the costs of a new building, equipment, hiring people to work for them, etc.

"Not true, Spinelli…" He removed a check, "Spinelli I know you'll be the brains of this operation, I know it'll be you doing a lot of the solving…" He paused at Spinelli's hesitant face.

"Hey that's not true, we're a tripod…Well when Film boy gets here it'll be a tripod, we're in this together," Spinelli got up from his chair where he stood in front of Milo.

"Right, but this business will be named after you and it was your idea, Spinelli this is a check for six hundred thousand dollars, it's everything I've ever earned from Sonny and I'm giving it to you to us to the business," he handed him the check.

"Milo…" Spinelli looked up at him having no idea that underneath the protector of the night was a business man; he wasn't stupid like he often ridiculed him to be.

"If we're going to do this, we're going to do it right," Milo put his hand in, "You ready to be the best damn detectives this town has ever seen?"

"Yeah I'm ready," Spinelli shook his hand realizing they were really going to do this.

"So how do we get started?" Spinelli asked him wondering what to do next.

"I don't have the slightest idea, I was hoping you did." He smiled hopefully at Spinelli who didn't exactly know either, "Where's Indy when you need him?"

"He's in LA, but thanks to my handy dandy cell phone he's just a phone call away!" Milo grinned with his phone in his hand.

"That's it no more orange soda for you," Spinelli realized it made him too hyper, even with one glass.

Milo wasn't amused, "While I call Dillon why don't you get ready to go out."

"And do what?" Spinelli wondered what they could do considering they had no idea what to do first in starting a business.

"Well I thought you'd come with me to the shooting range," he knew that learning how to shoot a gun was on Spinelli's list of things to do.

"Shooting range?" He looked hesitant, "Look muscular bode, guns and I don't mix." He pointed to his foot.

"That's because you had no proper training before and if you are going to be a private eye, you might have to carry a gun or at least know how to protect yourself, so I've enrolled us in a self protection class too…" He knew this was just what Spinelli needed, "And in return you are going to teach me some of the things you know how to do…"

"Oh well it's really quite simple see," Spinelli began to rant while pointing to the computer.

"Not now, I meant like tomorrow," he couldn't help but think 'duh' at this very moment.

"Okay and after we're done learning the fundamentals of shooting a fire arm and protecting our sacred bodies…"

"Well we need to find a place for this business, don't we? And we need to hire a contractor, draft plans and we'll need legal representation…"

"I thought you said you didn't have the slightest idea on how to do this?"

"I don't," Milo looked at him.

"Very funny, I'll meet you in the mob mobile in ten," Spinelli patted his shoulder and began to walk away when he realized Milo might want to hold onto the check, "Um you should hold onto this, infact maybe we should open up a bank account first and cash this in."

"Good thinking," Milo took it from him, "Ten minutes Spinelli, chop, chop…" He pointed to his watch.

"Right," Spinelli ran upstairs while Milo made his way out of the penthouse and down to the parking garage dialing Dillon's number.

Dillon of course was right in the middle of shooting, "Hey I can't talk, make it quick."

"Okay so I've got the funding now what?" He walked to his black SUV.

"Next find a place, a place that's big, also, I think it would be really cool if we could set up a bachelor pad up stairs, like a firehouse, upstairs is our house, downstairs is our work place and we can have poles we slide down…" Dillon laughed at how much fun that would be.

"Or stairs," he could just imagine the disaster of Spinelli trying to slide down a pole.

"Or stairs, now location is key, it needs to be in a popular place in town…I've got to go, but once you've found a place that you think will work, buy it, hire a contractor to draw the plans and that's it…Oh and make sure you open up an account and of course hire a lawyer just in case something goes wrong."

"Thanks man, I'll let you go," Milo hung up smiling.

He unlocked his car and jumped into the SUV where he pulled out of the parking space and waited by the elevator for Spinelli to meet him, "I said ten minutes, what the hell is taking him so long?"

In his room Spinelli was performing a quick yoga skit, "I am the samurai." He put his hands together and closed his eyes where seconds later he heard his phone ring.

"If you're not downstairs in two minutes…"

"I'm coming!" Spinelli grabbed his gym bag and ran down stairs to grab his laptop, "I'm in the elevator."

"I think you need to lay off on the orange soda…" Milo hung up waiting for Spinelli's arrival.

The elevator's opened and he walked out towards the car, "Well like it or not Jock Strap orange soda is a part of my life, I'm going to make sure we have it fully stocked in our office, in fact an orange soda machine sounds pretty…"

"nah, no I'm not having that," Milo looked at him to put his seat belt on, "Dillon wants firehouse poles, you want a never ending supply of orange juice…" Milo shook his head in disappointment.

"Well what do you want…we'll abide…" He spoke for Dillon and himself knowing that whatever he wanted they'd agree to.

"I think being able to have a life out of the mob, is rewarding all on its own," he looked away from Spinelli.

"That's so boring, come on…what do you really want?" Spinelli opened a bottle of orange soda.

"Are you kidding me? Are you seriously opening a bottle of orange soda after I just told you that you needed to lay off the soda…" He saw Spinelli's serious look, "You better not spill a drop."

"You're avoiding the question Mr. Sir…"

"Crunch bars," he quietly muttered.

"Um what?" Spinelli put his hand behind his ear, "um repeat again please my hearing seems to be out of tune."

"Crunch bars and flat screen TV along with a Jacuzzi in the bachelor pad," he glanced at Spinelli.

"I knew it! But dude how do you eat chocolate and look like that?"

"I workout," Milo acted like it was no big deal.

"What like an hour?" Spinelli tried to touch his muscles.

"No try 3 hours a day, which reminds we're going to have a full workout room too," Milo smiled for the idea of being able to retire to a gym after a hard day's work was the icing on top.

Spinelli took a sip of his drink, "Whatever makes you happy I guess…" He looked away from him rolling his eyes at his best friend's obsession with working out.

Milo continued to day-dream about his perfect work out room as he left the parking garage where he missed the speed bump and saw orange soda flying every where, "Spinelli!"

* * *

"Johnny?" Claudia walked into his bedroom to see him asleep, "oops," she quietly begun to close the door when she heard that he was talking in his sleep.

"Michael…I'm sorry…Michael it was an accident, I'm sorry…" He tossed his head left and right on the pillows with his eyes closed and his hands grabbing the sheets.

"john," she walked into his room closing the door behind her.

She took a seat on the bed where she stroked his jet black hair, "John it's okay…it's not your fault."

"Yes it is, it is Lulu…" He mistakenly believed that the voice he was hearing was Lulu's.

"I put the hit on Sonny," he moved his hand to his nearby night stand where in the intensity of his dream made him knock over his light causing a loud commotion and he woke up, "Ah!"

"John it's me," Claudia looked at him feeling bad that he was so worried about the ordeal with Michael that he was having nightmares about it.

He looked at her, "Um any news on Michael?"

Claudia looked him in the eyes and couldn't bare to tell him the truth, "They still don't know yet, it's too soon."

Johnny nodded, "I'm gonna take a shower."

"Alright," she stopped stroking his black hair as he got up from the bed.

"When you're done meet us in the kitchen,"

"Us?" He turned to her.

"Desmond and I, for breakfast," she smiled.

"Alright," he frowned stepping into the bathroom.

"Okay," she said weakly obviously saddened by her brother's poor mood.

Hearing her leave his room he looked the bathroom door and turned the shower on. As the water rose to its hottest temperature, steam began to fill up the room and Johnny began to succumb to his depression. Throwing his shirt on the ground he leaned on the sink where he raised his eye to look at himself in the mirror, but of course he couldn't see himself because of the steam. He cleaned the mirror having no idea that while he was cleaning it he hard carved KILLER, in thin layer of steam that set on the mirror. Looking down at the sink, he slowly looked up ready to see himself when he saw his reflection in the letters.

He slowly backed away from the mirror, "No…No I…"

His head hit the wall and suddenly he felt trapped. The heat created steam which turned into an eerie fog that he felt was trying to suffocate him, he gasped for air as his panic attack began.

"Sir…" Desmond walked into see a rather large amount of steam coming from the bottom of the bathroom door.

He found himself weak in the knees as he began to lose focus of the shower, the sink, the mirror, the toilet, the fog had covered everything and now he felt the walls were enclosing in on him.

Slowly falling to the ground he put his arms around his legs and lowered his head onto his knees where closed his eyes.

"Johnny?" He set the clothes that had just been washed on his bed and walked towards the door, "Johnny are you okay?"

The shower was so loud he couldn't hear Desmond's voice, he couldn't hear anyone, but his guilty conscience, _you are a killer_, "I'm not a killer!" He shouted.

"Johnny?" He became a little more worried.

_You're a killer like you father!_ "I'm not like my father!" He lifted his head from his knees and began hitting it against the wall, "I'm not like my father." He fought his conscious, but it became no use as he sat in the corner feeling like the six year old boy who should have been dead, but was because his mother chose him over her own life.

He called his name multiple times, he begged him to open the door and when he no longer heard Johnny's cries he scrambled for his keys, "Johnny it's going to be okay."

Quickly putting the lock in the door, he could feel the heat on the door, "Johnny!" His voice went faint as the door flung open and he saw the young man's face slowly look up at him.

"It was an accident," he slowly responded knowing his statement was relevant what had occurred with the young boy as well as his mother's death.

With tears in his eyes, his lips trembled, "I didn't mean for…"

"I know," he stood in the doorway accepting the man who could not yet accept himself.

"Desmond," he sprung up from the ground putting his arms around the old man, "Don't you ever leave me."

Desmond was like the father Johnny always wanted, he was the man he could talk to, he was the man he could hug, he was the man he could depend on to be there for him in good times and bad, he was nothing like Anthony and that's why he leaned on him.

The man stood strong very much surprised by his hug, "I'd never leave you." He gently patted him on the back, "It's okay." He comforted him as Johnny hung onto him in ways he couldn't express his feelings with Claudia, Lulu or anyone else.

He leaned out of the hug looking at Desmond's slightly flustered face, "I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for, a man is allowed to express emotion," he formed a smile.

"What's troubling you my boy?" He asked obviously knowing what was bothering him.

Johnny filed his hand through his hair, "I don't know…" He walked to the door to his room and closed it.

He crossed his arms as Desmond motioned to the bed, "I think you do know."

Johnny nodded, "Ever since I met Lulu my whole life has changed."

"So this is about a girl," Desmond slightly smiled.

"No," Johnny looked up at him to see his doubtful face, "Maybe, but…Desmond you know I feel guilty for what happened to Michael."

"Yes, I assume that's what all that was about…" He pointed to the shower.

Johnny nodded, "Yeah, but ever since this thing with Michael and Sonny and the explosion…Desmond all these bad things wouldn't have happened if I hadn't met Lulu."

"If dad hadn't discovered her then he wouldn't have come to the black and white ball and wouldn't have pissed off Jason and Sonny and…well you know the domino effect happened…" He looked at Desmond feeling guilty for the way he felt about Lulu.

"So what you're saying is you wish you never met Lulu? Because the love you have for her has done more harm then good?"

"Um yeah," Johnny slightly laughed at the way he put it.

"Well," Desmond got up from the bed, "Maybe a good breakfast after you take a regular shower, will clear your head…But…" He walked to the door.

"But breakfast or a shower or Claudia and me, can't give you the answers you're looking for, only she can," he wandered his eyes to the phone.

"I think I hear Claudia calling your name," Johnny looked away from the phone in annoyance; he wasn't going to call Lulu.

Desmond noted his displeasure to call her, "Well sir breakfast will be ready when you're done in here."

"Thank you, not just for talking with me, but saving my life, I think I might have sat in there all day till I passed out…" He smiled at him.

"You're welcome, but I still think you should…"

"No thanks Desmond…" He walked back to the bathroom.

"Okay…" He left the room hoping she would stop by today and request to seem and whether Johnny wanted to see her or not, he'd let her in because deep down Desmond knew the boy needed her, he needed her more than he liked to admit.

* * *

Don't forget to review! Next chapter Maxie talks with Robin, Sam and Mac. Spinelli leanrs the art of kungfu...Logan get's a little more than he bargained for, Lulu makes her way over to see Johnny.


	15. When you know

Chapter 15: When you know

Author's Note:

Hey guys, please keep reviewing, I love the feedback. This chapter is all about Maxie, each chapter is sort of leading up to something really big anyway Maxie visits some different people today and things are going on around her (development of the Lucky story, which will come full blossom soon). So enjoy! And don't forget to review.

* * *

Maxie walked onto hospital floor to see Robin talking with Elizabeth, "Robin!"

"Hey Maxie," she smiled; it was nice to see a face that wasn't filled with sorrow, "You seem extra I don't know bubbly today!"

"Well," Maxie smiled like hugely, "You are looking at the new writer for Kate Howard's Magazine!"

"No…" Robin looked at her shocked.

"Yup!" She smiled.

"Well how did that happen?" She slightly laughed looking over her shoulder at Elizabeth, "I thought you and Lulu were having a mother of all fights for a position in her magazine."

Maxie smirked, "Well I proved to be the smarter, dressier and well the better person and I had Spinelli on my side."

"Spinelli?" Elizabeth asked where she glanced at Robin.

"Spinelli…" Robin hinted.

"Oh Robin grow up," Maxie rolled her eyes.

"How did Spinelli being on your side, help you?" She looked up at her while dropping some files next to some other files.

"Well, well he was making me breakfast after Lulu broke his heart and all," Maxie paused to remember finding him in bed without his shirt on which she found to be quite attractive.

"Breakfast," Robin glanced at Elizabeth, "The plot thickens."

"Robin, Spinelli and I are just friends," she glanced at Elizabeth wanting to prove it to her as well, "Just friends." She tried to sound convincing, but for some reason wasn't able to pull it off today or even the day before or the dozen other times Robin or someone else insinuated more.

"With benefits," Elizabeth teased hoping Maxie would be able to take a light joke and not ridicule her.

"Maxie," Robin took the focus off Elizabeth seeing that Maxie wasn't at all amused by what she just said, "You're basically about to tell us that Spinelli some how helped you in all this, right?"

"Yes, before you interrupted I was about to say that Kate had given me this assignment to re-title an article for the magazine, well I read it and I guess Spinelli was so tired of me complaining about the article that he suggested I write some kind of response…"

"I see so you wrote your own article and Kate loved it?" Robin was beginning to put the pieces together, "So basically if it weren't for Spinelli…"

"Then Kate wouldn't have offered me my own column," Maxie smiled at the idea, but for some reason was frowning.

"Well congratulations," Elizabeth offered a slight peace offering, a polite one at best even though she didn't really like her.

"Thanks I think," Maxie glanced away from Elizabeth surprised by her words only to be almost speechless by Robin's next comment.

"Why are you frowning Maxie? Spinelli pretty much helped you land your dream job," Robin knew her gut feeling was just starting to dawn on Maxie.

"That's the thing, I don't think I would have been able to do it without him," Maxie looked at her cousin obviously seeking for some girl talk because this feeling she had wasn't going away, it was getting stronger and in a way she knew it herself, but perhaps needed to hear it from someone that knew her best.

"Come on," Robin pointed to the couch, "Elizabeth let me know when you see Epiphany coming."

"I'll be on the look out," she motioned Robin to take a quick break.

Maxie sat on the couch nervously looking at Robin who was grinning at excitement that she was right all along, "He saved my life, more then once, and not just when we were trying to find out who killed Georgie…"

She glanced down at her hands for a brief second and then looked up at her, "…But he saved me from losing my job…and then, then he…he saved my heart time and time again, when Georgie died, when Coop died, when we found the killer, Kelly's the other night…"

"What happened at Kelly's?" Robin had a feeling something was going to happen that night, Patrick said her 'feeling' was just gas when she told him, but Robin could feel her little cousin falling in love.

She looked around, a little nervous and Robin could see she was a little scared to say something, "Maxie…"

"Okay," she looked up from her hands, "Robin have you ever had a moment where you look into someone's eyes after an emotional roller coaster kind of event or lose yourself in a laugh or even after simply dancing with someone in the dark to a song that made you cry on his shoulder…"

"All the time," Robin smiled gently touching her hands.

"And you look into this person's eyes and you know, you just know he's going to make you feel safe, feel special, feel loved," she remembered looking into his eyes, she remembered the lyrics of the song; his arms around her and feeling every single one of those things.

"He makes you feel like that?" Robin never knew it was that beautiful, that Spinelli had the power in him to show someone such passion.

She slowly nodded, "That's what happened at Kelly's, we danced, we looked into each other's eyes and I wanted to kiss him."

Robin joyously smiled, "It's a good feeling isn't it?" She knew exactly what it was like to be in love, _Stone, Jason, Patrick._

She slightly laughed while nodding, "Robin I can't believe I'm saying this, but, I think I might be falling in love with Spinelli."

Robin was just about to question just exactly how deep Maxie's feelings were for the man when she saw David Harper walk from the elevators, "Um Elizabeth can you tell me where Patrick Drake is?"

Elizabeth had no idea when she looked up to see him that he would look the way he did, like hell, "Um I was just in surgery with him, I can page him."

"Yes please do so, tell him David Harper needs to talk with him," he turned away from her to the waiting room.

"David?" Elizabeth called his name as she stepped of the nurse's station.

"Yes?" He turned to her as he removed his notebook to overlook his notes.

"Can you tell me when you think Lucky is going to be off duty, cause Cameron keeps asking for him and it's been two weeks and Lulu and Nicholas and I would really like to see him," she smiled hoping he'd have an answer for her.

"Um, yeah I'm not sure when he'll be off duty, I'm not really at privilege to discuss the significance of the case he's working on, but I'll let you know as soon as I hear something," he formed a fake smile hating the fact that every time he saw someone of Lucky's family that he had to lie.

"Okay, well I'll go get Patrick," she walked away not at all able to see that he was lying to her.

Just as Elizabeth was about to leave the area Ian who was a little ahead of Patrick were about to turn the corner onto the floor when Ian saw the detective, "Um Patrick."

"Yeah man?" Patrick stopped as Ian stopped right in front of him.

"You know I just remembered there was something I forgot to do in the ER," he stuck his hand out, "Thanks again for letting me crash at your place, I'll promise I'll be out by the end of the week."

"No problem, you can stay as long as you like, my super has the spare key, I told him you would pick it up," he shook Ian's hand.

"Thanks," Ian grinned before walking down the direction they just came from.

"Robin?" Maxie questioned for her focus, but she interrupted, "Just a second," she called the detective over.

"Why do you need to speak with Patrick?"

"Robin, I can't tell you why, it's sensitive."

"Well is he in trouble?" She asked a little worried.

"No, I can promise you he's safe, I'm here to discuss some hypothetical situations about some forensic testing we have going on, we're trying to see if…" He wasn't going to go into too much more detail, but he saw Robin's face of displeasure.

"Moreover I'm here to ask for a medical opinion, that's all, you have nothing to worry about," he smiled.

"David?" Patrick called his name with Elizabeth by his side who accidentally ran into him when she turned the corner to find him.

"Patrick," he smiled shaking his hand.

"How can I help you?" He put his hands on his hips.

Maxie looked back at Robin, "We'll talk later."

"No it's okay I'm fully focused on you," she glanced away from Patrick.

"Yeah right, I'm gonna see Mac, I'll talk to you later, thanks for the girl talk…" Maxie got up from the chair with her purse.

"Well it wasn't much of a girl talk, let me know how things go," she smiled walking partially with her to the elevator while overhearing Patrick's conversation with David.

David became a little uncomfortable as Robin joined them, "Um Patrick can we sit…Sorry ladies," he looked away from Elizabeth and Robin who looked disappointed to be out of the realm.

Patrick motioned them to go the nurse's station and perhaps he might fill them in later, "This way…" He walked with David to the couch.

"This won't take too long, I know you're busy so I'll make this quick," he flipped the cover of his notepad to his notes in it.

"Um is it possible for a man to survive a gun shot to the head while losing tissue, blood and bone fragments, is it possible to survive it without immediate medical attention," he looked up at him almost already knowing the answer.

"Are we talking about Michael Corinthos's case?" He needed to know for answers could vary.

"No, we're looking into the disappearance of a few cops and we're trying to see if there's any chance they might be alive," he clenched his jaw at the harsh reality that the precinct didn't yet want to accept.

"I would say no, even if they were rushed to the hospital, the chances are so slim, you said there were bone fragments?"

"Yeah," he looked down at his notes, "left side of the head, just above the ear," he pointed.

Patrick nodded with a definite no, "Yeah there's no way someone could survive the after shock of losing bone fragments, a close range shot like that would kill them instantly, they wouldn't even have a final breath."

It was just as he thought; all he needed to know was who the brain tissue, the bone fragments and the blood belonged to and then he'd know which one of his friends if not both were dead.

"Um," he was about to thank the doctor for his time, but was interrupted by his phone, "Excuse me."

Patrick nodded leaning back on the couch waiting for the officer to be done.

"Harper," he spoke into the phone hoping it was someone saying they had been found, but it was just the opposite.

"Harper, the forensic tests are in," Marty looked at them just as he received them.

He filed his hands through his hair, "Tell me there's not a match."

"I'm sorry man, we've got a match for both," he had a hard time with the news himself.

He closed his eyes while raising his hand to his forehead, "Who matches what…"

"Bone, brain tissue and blood belong to Rodriguez while the other pool of blood you found, belongs to Spencer, it's not looking good." He meant that once the chief had received the results he would probably alert the family and possibly the press of the department's loss.

"I know," he pressed the arch of his nose near his eyes where tears bled on his fingers, "Damn I was really hoping it wasn't gonna come to this."

"Me too," Marty closed the report, "me too."

"Should I notify the family then?" He glanced in the distance at Elizabeth chatting with Robin.

"No, we'll wait for Mac to give the order."

David looked away from Elizabeth to catch Patrick's stare, "I'll be right over there."

He slowly hung up the phone, "Um thank you for your time doctor."

Patrick looked at him almost afraid to think of what the detectives' questions and emotions just expressed had to do with Elizabeth, "No problem. I'm sorry I couldn't help you further."

"Yeah, look, this needs to keep…"

"Don't worry," Patrick glanced at Elizabeth, "I won't say anything." He looked back at David, "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Not as sorry as she and those kids are going to be, thank you," he got up from the sofa shaking the doctor's hand.

"Good luck with your investigation, hope you catch the bastards." He shook David's hand firmly.

"Oh don't worry, we're going to make sure the people responsible for this pay dearly, they just cost us the best cops in the department, remember this needs to stay quiet, I don't think Mac will release this information until we find the bodies."

"I understand," he let go of the man's hand and watched as he left the waiting room trying to pull himself together when he waved a friendly goodbye to Elizabeth and Robin.

Patrick looked at his two women friends at the nurse's station, "Crap." He wondered how long he could keep his assumption, his recent news quiet until it was to be released to rest of Port Charles.

"What was that all about?" Robin asked as he walked back over asking Elizabeth for a patient's folder.

"Nothing," he said as the elevators closed and the saddened face of the detective went away.

"Well it looked like something," Elizabeth said for she too wanted to know what was up for David was a close friend of theirs because he was Lucky's and Mac's co-worker.

"Well it's nothing; I suggest you two keep your nose out of it," he took his folder, "Because you won't like what you find." He looked up at Robin, "Are you ready to tell Carly and Sonny?"

"Yeah I'm just waiting for Jason," she heard the elevators open and out walked Jason who was instantly distracted by Elizabeth's presence.

"Any news on Michael?" He tried to be strong when asked about the young boy, but when he looked into Robin's eyes it was almost impossible to keep a straight face considering all the history they had with him.

"We were just about to announce our findings to Carly and Sonny," Patrick was slightly jealous of the way Robin and Jason looked at each other, but he knew better that it was only because of their very emotional history with Michael.

"Come on," Robin motioned Jason to come with them, "Elizabeth…" She asked for knowing she could be of use to mainly Jason of course, but never the less she had a right to be there, she was the surgical nurse in it all.

Two days ago they had learned that Michael would never wake up again and like a grieving mother, Carly begged for more tests to be run for a different opinion, for something that could give her and everyone else that loved the boy hope. Sadly in just a few minutes they'd find out that the new tests would say nothing new, Michael was in a permanent coma. He'd never be able to wake up and tell the people around him that he loved them, but like Spinelli said, _even though he can't tell us, doesn't mean it's not true._

* * *

Down at the PCPD things had become increasingly busy while two big investigations were being conducted, the first was finding out who shot Michael Corinthos and the second was finding out what happened to the cops that were missing. To make matters worse Alexis Davis and Scott Baldwin had not yet arrived back from their meetings in Manhattan and because the cases were so sensitive no one could be reached on the phone.

"Everyone just stop!" Mac shouted, "What the hell is wrong with you all? Huh? You're all running around with your damn heads chopped off!"

"Sir we're doing the best we can," Marty tried to reason with him.

"Well you're best isn't good enough," Mac put his hands on his hips, "Look I know we're all tired, but after the text message killer, after that bastard took my daughter away and tried to kill my other daughter. After that man killed Emily Quartermaine and attacked countless other women, after he killed one of our own! Damn it we have to do better!" He turned his back from the entrance of the station where he had no idea that Maxie was walking down it.

"Two of Port Charles finest are out there, bleeding to death or perhaps already dead, we'll know by the forensics report, but the point is Lucky Spencer and Cruz Rodriguez dedicated their lives to protecting this town, to them we have a solemn obligation, the code of this department is WE LEAVE NO MAN BEHIND and we sure as hell aren't going to stop now," he turned to see his daughter standing in the entrance.

In a gentler town, "Please I'm begging you; try harder, time is going to make all the difference."

He nodded at the men that he was done talking, "Maxie what is it?" He was slightly annoyed by her presence.

She walked towards him in a whispering tone, "Dad, Lucky's missing?"

He was hoping she hadn't heard that part, "Interrogation room darling."

They walked into the room where he lectured her, "What you just heard me say, can't leave this place you hear?"

She nodded never seeing him so distraught except when Georgie was murdered, "Dad…"

"Honey, this is what we call a real secret high profile case. We haven't contacted any of Lucky's or Cruz's family and if I hear that in some pissed off mood that you were in that you blurted something to Elizabeth Webber or Lulu Spencer or to anyone in general, it won't be pretty young lady."

Suddenly her need to tell her father that she just landed her dream job faded away, "I won't tell anyone…I'm sorry I came." She walked out of the interrogation room disappointed that her father had no confidence in her to keep quiet when asked to.

"Maxie I'm sorry I didn't mean it…"

"Its fine," she walked away from him hoping Sam was home and that she could help her with Spinelli seeing as Robin was too busy and Mac just didn't seem to care.

As she walked out of the place Scott Baldwin was just about to open the door when she walked out in a tantrum, "Feisty aren't we?"

"Oh shut it Scotty," Alexis reprimanded him as she looked away from her to see David Harper's car that was speeding in the parking lot.

"Mr. Harper, you might want to reconsider that speed," Scotty suggested as he came running through the door way, "Yeah when I have time, excuse me."

"Harper," Alexis called his name for that was no way to talk to the special prosecutor.

"What the hell is going on?" Scotty asked as they both walked into the precinct seeing everyone running around like busy bees in a hive.

"Um Alexis," Mac was nervous, "Um you two need to follow me into the interrogation room."

Just as they proceeded into the room, Marty and David shouted Mac's name, "Sir we've got the forensic report." Marty shouted.

Suddenly everyone stopped working, the report would give a good inclination of whether the officers were alive and if from this point on if they'd be looking for dead bodies.

Alexis and Scotty looked at each other wondering what happened, but moreover wondering what the hell they had missed since they were gone.

"I'll take the report," Mac took it from David's hand, "Alexis…Scotty…I'll meet you in there in a minute…" He opened the folder and heard the door shut.

It was just as he feared, "I assume you two have already looked at the results," he looked at David and Marty who nodded.

"While I explain to them," he tilted his head to the left at the interrogation room, "You two, you tell them what's next." He regretfully frowned and then turned to the interrogation room where he began to hear David instructing the group.

"Mac what's going?" Alexis asked while sitting down at the table, "Did you find out who the shooter is?"

Mac slowly set the folder down, "I wish this was about the shooting, but I'm afraid that it's not."

"Well…" Scotty looked at him wanting him to stop being so dramatic and get to the point.

"Um Lucky Spencer and Cruz Rodriguez are missing," he revealed, "Lucky was supposed to end his undercover assignment two days ago and the only person that knew where exactly his location was, was Rodriguez."

"How do you know they're still not undercover somewhere?" Alexis asked hoping that something had been overlooked, they had enough problems on their hands, and this was most definitely something they didn't want to add to the list.

"Because forensics proves otherwise," he opened the folder.

"The last time we heard from Spencer was around 10:55 close to eleven, David talked to him and he said that Spencer wasn't himself. He seemed really scared; he said he discovered something that we weren't going to believe…"

"And let me guess he didn't actually happen to spill the words did he?" Scott leaned against the wall knowing it was typical.

"No, David wanted to send someone out there, but he told me that suddenly he became distracted, he stopped talking just as he was about to give up his location, then the line pretty much went dead."

Mac pushed forward the papers, "One thing he did manage to say was that he was at a Motel 8, yesterday morning David found Rodriguez's car and followed some notes and he found…well we ran a test Alexis, it's a match." He sighed heavily before leaning his hands on the table with his head down.

"Alexis?" Scotty glanced at her wanting to know what the results said.

She removed her glasses, "Scotty, I think it's time we inform the family."

"I'll do it," Scott walked towards her, "I'll tell Luke."

"I don't know about that," Mac looked at him with hesitance as did Alexis.

"Look I might hate Luke, but I know what it's like to lose a child," he picked up the results from the test, "I'll tell him that there's a chance his son is dead."

"I'll tell Sam, gosh, she loves him, this is going to break her heart," she looked up at Mac who wasn't sure about telling anyone yet.

"Hold on, maybe we should wait until we actually find the bodies, I mean there's enough evidence there to prove that Rodriguez is dead, but as for Lucky, it's blood, he could still be alive, he could be kidnapped by whoever did this to them and…"

"Come on Mac," Scotty knew it wasn't fair to give hope in a situation that seemed hopeless.

"I'm just saying we need to make it clear that we believe he's missing, we don't need to over exaggerate or under exaggerate that he's dead or alive, a simple he's missing and we don't know much more is enough…"

"Is that what we agree to?" Alexis looked up at them, "We tell the family he's missing and we'll tell the more when we know…more?"

Scotty reluctantly agreed, "Okay, fine, I'll be at the Haunted Star." He walked out of the interrogation room with his briefcase.

Alexis looked up at Mac, "I'll tell Nicholas, what about Lulu and Elizabeth?"

"Um I'll send David to tell Elizabeth and as for Lulu, well maybe by then she will have found out from the rest of her family…" It sounded bad, not sending someone from the office to tell her, he just didn't know what to do.

"And the press? When should we report there disappearance?" Alexis reviewed the paper work again.

"Tomorrow morning," he knew by then the families of both men would be informed, "You know, I gave Lucky a lot of crap for what happened between him and my daughter, but when he was sober he sure was a damn fine cop…I never thought that I'd never see him again."

Alexis got up from the table, "I know." She put her hand on his shoulder, "Only proves that tomorrow is not guaranteed."

He nodded, that was for sure, "Tell Nicholas and Sam that we're doing everything we can."

"I will," she frowned leaving him in the interrogation room.

He looked away from the door to the folder on the desk feeling no more than a failure and a disappointment to the community. He told himself after the hostage crisis at the Metro Court they would do better, he told himself after Emily Quartermaine's death they would do better, and after Georgie's death he told himself they would do better. His knees gave out. They hadn't done anything better, people still died. People they should have been able to protect slipped through their fingers. Slowly falling to the chair he thought heavily about his future in the department because the truth of it all was that the department hadn't been functioning well for the past couple of years. Looking at the photos of the remains discovered in the alley he put his hands over his mouth, "Time to retire…time to accept defeat."

"Commissioner?" David walked in seeing he had interrupted a very personal moment.

He wiped the few tears building in his eyes, "Yeah?"

"It's not your fault, what happened to Lucky, to Cruz…to Georgie," he took the seat opposite from him.

"Yes it is, every time someone goes missing, every time someone dies who cried for help, every time we can't answer the questions that we know they're going to ask, it's my fault because I didn't conduct these investigations…I didn't give the right orders…I didn't train…I didn't…"

"Commissioner," David interrupted the man from caving in on himself, "You did everything by the book."

"Maybe that's the problem," he glanced up at him with a frown so full of sorrow that David could tell the man was hurting.

"We followed the book instead of our gut," he got up from the table taking the folder in his hand sighing even more, "We decided to inform the family, you may inform Elizabeth Webber whenever the time seems fitting."

"There's never a time," he spoke with such weakness in his voice that he too had let the investigation get the best of him.

"No there's not," his lips trembled while tears ran down his cheeks.

David sat as he walked out of the interrogation room and carried on, he watched the man give a heartening speech of what the evidence explained and what it didn't, he watched as the commissioner tried to keep strong for the men who wanted to give up hope, he watched as Mac Scorpio began to lose confidence in himself and in the department; in law enforcement, in the justice system.

* * *

"Maxie!" Sam greeted her, "Come in!" She opened the door motioning her to walk in.

"I'm so glad your home!" She walked in heading for the couch, "First how are you?"

Sam slightly laughed as she closed the door, "I'm doing great well except for the part where Lucky is still working and I had this whole dinner planned so that has to be postponed, but otherwise I'm fabulous."

Maxie clenched her jaw while grinning; hearing Sam speak of Lucky when she knew Lucky was missing made her wonder if she should tell her the truth.

"What's wrong?" Sam saw a slight discomfort in her face.

"Oh nothing," she realized if she did say something without knowing the facts that it would make things worse, "I just um, well I need some advice," she sat down on the couch where Sam sat in the couch opposite to her.

"Okay," Sam smiled, "What about?"

"Alright, don't laugh," Maxie knew that whoever she talked to would find it funny that she had feelings for the geek, but to her, he wasn't a geek anymore.

"Okay…" Sam motioned with her hands to keep going.

"So you know how Spinelli helped me find out how the text message killer was?"

"Yeah," she nodded not at all sensing what she was about to say.

Nervous, she talked fast without really knowing that she was making little sense, "Well you know it was a really emotional time because we both loved Georgie and finding out who took her away from us was our main reason for hanging out and talking and well becoming friends or at least not strangers anymore…"

"Stop rambling," Sam motioned her to slow down her words, "Take a deep breath."

"Sorry," she smiled for a second before looking down at her hands where her voice changed from being excitedly stupid to calm and thoughtful with a tint of sadness, "You know…Georgie was the one person in my life who believed in me, who didn't think I was a slut or a bitch even though I was mean to her, she…she loved me unconditionally for the person I was and I lost that I lost her when she died."

Sam leaned forward on the couch hunching over the coffee table, "But you've got Robin and Mac, not to mention me and…Spinelli."

"Sam," she looked up at her almost ignoring what she just said, "Spinelli I think, I think Spinelli has become that person that Georgie was to me."

Sam softly smiled as Maxie became more hesitant about her relationship with Spinelli, "Maxie, of course he has."

"You two bonded over a traumatic event and then you two worked together under stress and danger to bring justice for her and everyone else that was hurt by Diego, you didn't think that after it all ended you two would go back to being strangers did you?" The corner of Sam's mouth formed a slight smile.

"You know I kind of thought we would, I thought it would be that easy," she slightly laughed before her voice weakened.

"Maxie, a bond over someone's death is never easy to dispose of, I should know that better then anyone," she leaned back on the couch.

She looked at the pink blanket from the nursery they had prepared but never used, "When I lost my daughter," she touched the blanket that was located at the end of the couch.

"Jason and I had built this sort of bond through it all, through the pregnancy, we became friends and then that fateful night when she died we added on to that bond," she wiped a tear from her eye, the memory still brought discomfort to her three years later.

"I'm sorry Sam," Maxie didn't mean to bring up bad memories.

"The point is," she looked at Maxie, "Neither one of us wanted to admit it after everything, after I lost the baby, neither one of us wanted to admit that we had fallen in love or at least admit that our feelings had developed to the point where we weren't just friends anymore."

She wiped the remanding tears off her eyes trying to smile, "Aw that was a long time ago." She set the blanket back at the edge of the couch, "Maxie…" She glanced back up at her seeing her face of uncertainty.

"It's okay for you to have feelings for Spinelli, if that's what you're trying to say that you have bonded with Spinelli over Georgie's death and the text message killer mess, it's okay," she formed a hopeful smile.

"But it's more than just that Sam," she frowned trying to search for an answer within herself as to why it was so hard to label her feelings for Spinelli. "We understood each other after that, I mean sure I think a part of us became like friends, people who are no longer strangers, but not best friends yet either."

With honesty in her voice, with remembrance after it was all over with her sister she remembered see Spinelli days later in Kelly's, "And we could have just ended it there, I mean he wasn't the first to say hi or come over to where I was sitting or strike up a conversation, I was the one that did all that, I was the one that didn't let it go."

"Why didn't you?" Sam realized she was going to have to do some manipulation to get her to solve her own heart ache.

"Because I needed him."

"Why did you need him?"

"Because he's smart and kept me from losing my job." She saw Sam's quick reaction that she wasn't exactly telling the truth, "Okay because…because I was lonely, I didn't want to be alone and I knew from what had happened that he was someone I could trust and depend on and he was someone that wouldn't hate me even if I did piss his so called best friend off."

Sam giggled as she implied Lulu, "So you're feelings for him have grown, you've admitted to your self that you like Spinelli, tell me what you're going to do about it."

"Well that's why I'm sort of here," she smiled, "I got a promotion at work."

"Congratulations!" Sam lightly clapped her hands.

"Yeah," she brightly smiled, "And part of the reason I got it was because of Spinelli that's when I sort of realized what's he's done for me…"

"Yes right…" Sam wanted her to keep going.

"So Kate gave me the day off to basically celebrate…well with Spinelli, she hinted…that I see him and so now that I know what these feelings are, like I just don't know what to do, like how to tell him everything."

"Okay, well tell him over dinner, you want to use the apartment?" She offered, but Maxie turned down the offer, "I mean we always meet up at Kelly's around six to help Mike out…"

"Perfect," Sam knew just the thing but of course Maxie was oblivious.

"Ask Mike, you know he'll say yes, ask him if you can close Kelly's early say around five, call Spinelli to meet you there at 7, whether you choose to tell him it's a date is your decision, but create a romantic evening."

"You make it sound so easy," Maxie slightly laughed.

"Because it is."

"And what if he say's no," Maxie forgot for a second that she was dealing with Spinelli.

"Like he's really going to say no," she was amused, "come on Maxie, first you're pretty, second a guy that saves you from the text message killer and bears his soul to you as you've described in the past and then comes to your rescue when your career might be in trouble…Yeah that's a guy who's going to say no"

"Alright," Maxie realized how stupid her comment was, "So just call him and be like…"

"Be like I have great news, let's meet at Kelly's, say you want to thank him for how he helped you…It'll work out," she smiled like tonight was going to be one of the best nights she had in a long time.

Maxie breathed with confidence now, "Alright." She got up from the couch, "Thank you."

"No problem, just remember, I'm always here for you and by the way do you need anything for tonight?" She pointed to her dinning room table which had been set up for Lucky for whenever he was coming home.

"Oh no I don't want to take what you have so beautifully set up," Maxie would feel bad if it turned out that Lucky was alive she had destroyed what was a potential dinner.

"Oh I don't want you too either, but I have spare candles and dinner wear in the kitchen, come on, I'll get a box together and you call Mike…" She walked off into the kitchen leaving Maxie to make her phone call.

Maxie excitedly followed her into the kitchen while dialing Mike's number who with in two minutes of calling had no problem with closing the place down at five, "You were right!" Maxie said to her after she called Mike.

"Yup Lucky told me he's done it like a ton of times with Elizabeth and that when he got back we'd have a special night in there too," Sam excitedly smiled while putting candles and the plates in a small box.

"So how exactly did Spinelli help you?" Sam asked trying to pass time by.

"Well, he's going to kill me for saying this, but he was making me breakfast…"

"Hmm…" Sam slowly glanced up at her with a sarcastic look of temptation on her face.

"Anyway…We were talking about work and this job that Kate had me do and so I took some advice of his and now you're looking at a girl with her own column…" She glowed with happiness hoping it would never end and unfortunately it would, badly.

"There you go," Sam excitingly tapped her fingers on the counter, "Let me know how it goes!"

"Oh I will!" She scooped up the box in her hands, "See Ya!" She walked out of the kitchen to the front door.

"Yup, bye," Sam helped her with the door and watched her walk down to the elevator where her she heard her phone ringing and Sam had to close the door to answer it.

"Sam?" Alexis tried to sound brave.

"Hey mom!" Sam sat on the couch propping her feet on the coffee table, "How was your trip?"

"Good, are you busy right now?"

"No," Sam looked around her empty apartment, lonely.

"Okay well I'm in the area, I thought we could have a chat," she tried not to over do any kind of emotion.

"Alright." She was about to say more but the phone clicked and Sam wondered why she had abruptly hung up for she usually never did that, but Alexis Davis never had to tell someone close to her that the person they loved was not only missing, but was most likely dead.

* * *

Next chapters... Spinelli and target pactice, everyone is informed of Lucky and Cruz...Lulu then sees Johnny for a fight that will change them forever. Logan get's a deal he didn't want and sees his father whom infuriates him...then lulu adds to the boiling pot and he finds himself trying to find the root of all his problems...Maxie? Don't forget to Reivew and hey if you guys want Spoilers just let me know, email me and I'll give you some.


	16. Target Practice

**Chapter 16: Target Practice**

"Ready, aim, fire!" Milo shouted to him in the indoor shooting range with protective ear muffs over his ears and his .48 caliber pistol in his hands.

"Fire?" Spinelli looked at him while slightly aiming the gun at the target.

"FIRE!" Milo shouted again insisting he was serious.

Spinelli hesitantly aimed the gun almost closing his eyes when he heard Milo shout, "Don't close your eyes fool!"

Spinelli put the gun down while removing his ear muffs, "I'm sorry but this…"

Milo removed his ear muffs, "Look," he picked up his own gun, "Watch me." His right fingers motioned from Spinelli's eyes to the gun, "Take notes…" Milo saw him motion to his back pack, "Mental notes Spinelli!"

"Right," he chuckled, "Of course…" He playfully tapped the side of his head.

Milo laughed before looking at him seriously in the way that he was going to teach him something important, "Spinelli you can't always type everything down, sometimes you just have to know…"

Spinelli's eye brows perked up, he didn't understand so Milo elaborated, "Sometimes you're going to get into situations where you can't hesitate or have the slightest doubt in your mind; you just have to know what to do which is more than just going with your instinct."

"Understand?" Milo double checked that Spinelli understood what he said.

"Yeah I get it," Spinelli nodded.

"Alright then, now I know you are going to hate what I'm going to say next, but you need to pick up that gun and…"

"And fire at will?" Spinelli guessed while slightly shrugging his shoulders.

"Well you don't have to fire at will, but it would be nice if you fired something," he looked down at his watch, "Seeing as we have been here almost an hour and you've been doing this…" Milo mocked him by pretending to aim the gun and then set it back down, "The entire time."

"I'm sorry, but all this, makes me uncomfortable," Spinelli honestly told him which Milo assumed it was because of the accident, "No it's not the accident. It's just that, if I start carrying one of these around…I'm afraid I might actually have to use it which means I'm going to have to know what I'm doing which means I have to trust myself and…"

"You think you're not the first one to have this fear?" Milo questioned at his face of uncertainty, "Come on…" He tucked his own gun behind his back and then took Spinelli's gun and walked to bench just a few feet away.

"Spinelli," he looked down at the gun in his hand removing the magazine, "Holding a weapon, carrying it from day to day, using it…They all come with different feelings. Holding it means knowing how to use it, carrying it means knowing when to use, actually using it means knowing why you're about to use it. The reason comes from with in, you will know when the right time is to use it, unlike Jason he uses it whenever, he can be a ruthless killer. Max and I use it to protect the children and Mr. and Mrs. C."

"You, Spinelli," he loaded the magazine back in, "You will use it when someone you care about is threatened, you will use it when it's either him or you, you will use it for whatever means necessary to that of your own moral values which will be different to mine to Max's to Jason's."

He placed the gun in Spinelli's hand, "It's time you learn how to take care of yourself without our help, a gun isn't always the answer, the self-defense class we took a couple of hours ago isn't the answer, but sometimes you have to use force to protect yourself. Jason and I won't always be there to watch your back and you certainly can't have a girl fighting for you…" Milo teased brushing his shoulder against Spinelli's.

"I'm not trying to turn you into a killer," he joked, "I don't even think that's possible, you're too good of a guy," he laughed.

"Well apparently not good enough if I can't even grasp the attention of Fair Lulu or Maximista," Spinelli looked away from him frowning.

"Man," Milo rubbed Spinelli's shoulder, "Lulu and Maxie don't want a guy that carries a gun…" He paused seeing Spinelli's face, "Okay maybe to you they do," he laughed.

"But what they really want," he looked straight into Spinelli's eyes, "Is the man behind the gun."

"…A confident man who trusts himself because if he's confident enough to handle the dangers of a gun, the deadly powers it possess then it means he's confident enough to handle the complexity of a woman, the emotions they posses."

Spinelli took the words to heart as if his mentor Stone Cold had said them to him. In his own opinion they sounded a little cliché, but he didn't want hurt Milo's feelings if they were in fact genuine, "I see."

Milo slightly grinned wondering if Spinelli would pick up on the utter bull shit underlining his words, but when he didn't he figured one day he'd remember back to everything he said and he'd know the real meaning of it all, "I'm just trying to teach you how to be that guy, the man I know you can be," he held out his fist offering a small friendship of handshakes.

Spinelli looked down at his friends fist and formed his hand into a fist, "I always know where you're intentions are." He hit Milo's fist, "I never doubted them for one second."

Milo hit his fist, "Friends."

"I thought we already were," Spinelli pondered a smile.

"We are," Milo patted his back smiling at the friendship that seemed to become stronger.

"Well well well," Logan removed his earmuffs before crossing his arms, "What do we have here?"

"You, looking for the ladies room Baldwin? It's right down the hall with the words 'pansy' spelled on the door." Milo grinned licking his lips in the pleasure of his insult.

Logan had about one second to decide how he was going to react. He could throw a fuss, get into a fight, it would have been the typical Logan reaction, but he was different now. He had decided the night that Ric picked him up at Jakes that he could no longer act out like he used too or at least try to make an effort not be so hostile every time someone pissed him off. Which nowadays after his fallout with Lulu all it took was the presence of someone he despised and like the snap of a finger he'd turn into Dr. Hyde.

"Is that the best you can do Giambetti? Please I fought in Iraq, I've put up with more bull shit from ladies here then I ever have…You think that little insult of yours is gonna send me off crying like Spinelli does every time Sonny fakes a sucker punch at his face…" Logan nodded his head laughing as he walked passed them, "Pathetic."

Spinelli quickly rose up from the bench wanting to say something in return when Milo put his hand on his shoulder, "Forget him. We'll get him back, but for now…Target Practice."

They walked back to the counter of the shooting range, "Okay," Milo removed his gun, "Now aim at the target and put your finger on the trigger, shoot as many rounds as you need to."

Milo put his ear muffs on as did Spinelli and the two raised their guns, "Ready, aim…" Milo took aim before glancing at Spinelli who was surprisingly listening to him this time, "Fire."

He jolted the first time, well the first three times as Milo constantly shouted 'fire' to him until Spinelli pulled the trigger naturally.

After the clip was empty Milo patted him on the back, "Good job."

Spinelli gently put the gun down and removed his ear muffs to hear Milo joke with him, "If only we could have gotten more down in our session."

"Well muscular abode I'm not acquainted with weapons of the protectors of the nights as you are."

"Don't worry, in time you'll be able to point and shoot like me with no fear in doing so," he rubbed his shoulder, "Why don't we finish off these rounds…" He paused when Spinelli's phone started ringing.

"Oh that would be Stone Cold," he read the caller I.D. and assured Milo that it was.

"Let me handle this," he took the phone from his hand.

"But…" Spinelli looked at his hand amazed at how quickly Milo swapped it from him.

"You finish off the rest of the rounds in my gun, then we'll get your score card to see how well your aim is and then we'll go from there," he walked away leaving Spinelli with no choice, but to do exactly that.

"Jason?" Milo tried to stay in the same area that Spinelli was so that he could keep an eye on him as well as Logan.

"Spin-wait Milo?" Jason was a little confused until he heard gun shots, "What's going on?" He whispered outside of Michael's room.

"Oh don't worry Jason, we're safe. I took Spinelli to a shooting range," he didn't think it was a big deal.

"You what!" Jason quietly shouted as he walked down the hall, "You took him to a shooting range?"

He pulled the phone away from his ear hearing Jason's lectures, "Yes I know he shot his foot last summer, but he won't hurt himself because I'm here watching him." He glanced back at Spinelli who was scarcely shooting bullets from his gun.

"If anything happens, Milo, you…" Jason hinted without actually having to threaten him with words, "Tell Spinelli I have to stay at the hospital for a few more hours so he's free for the rest of the afternoon."

"I'll do. Talk to you later…" He hung up just as Jason began to lecture him some more about Spinelli's history with guns.

Spinelli removed the earmuffs letting them rest around his neck, "Hey buddy!" Spinelli put his hand Milo's shoulder, "I think I might actually be good at this."

"Well I like to think all that gaming you do in cyberspace counts for something," he grinned, "Jason told me you have the rest of the afternoon off, let's go to lunch."

"Sounds good to me," he gave Milo his guns back and followed him to the front of the shooting range where he glared back at Logan who was mindless shooting at the target.

They said goodbye to the owner who let them shoot at the place for free because the man's brother was an employee that worked on the piers of Sonny's organization and then walked to the black SUV.

"Yup Spinelli I think if we put an hour each day in, you'll be Jesse James in no time," he joked as the climbed into the car.

"Well I prefer to be as good as Stone Cold."

Milo glared at him wondering how someone as smart as Spinelli could miss something so big, Jason Morgan was this generation's Jesse James, "Sure…whatever."

Putting the car in park he slowly backed out of the parking lot when he made an interesting observation, "This is why he isn't trust worthy Spinelli."

"Maybe he just…" Spinelli was quickly interrupted, "No, there's no other reason for him to be making a stop here unless…"

"Unless he's got business with Logan Hayes," Spinelli finished his sentence.

Milo glanced at him, "Precisely." Milo glanced back at the shooting range wondering what kind of trouble Logan was about to bring them all.

X

Trevor pulled on Logan's ear muff, "How much is he paying you?"

Logan smiled putting down his gun and removing his ear muffs, "The question should be how much you are going to pay me?"

"Fine," he looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was watching, "How much will it cost?"

"Hmmm," he emptied the rest of the bullets in the magazine before looking up at Trevor who seemed desperate.

"Depends, see there are two things I want, the first person that can give me one of those two things becomes my employer."

"Alright, shoot," Trevor smiled.

Logan looked around, but realized he didn't need to worry, no one was around, "I want power."

Trevor nodded, that would be easy, "And…"

"And I want Johnny Zacchara dead."

"Dead? Or just away from Lulu," Trevor saw the instant effect the girl's name had on the boy.

Staring at Trevor's eyes he wanted to make it very clear what he wanted, "I want the Baldwin name to be as threatening as Corinthos-Morgan as Zacchara, I want fear to strike when my name is mentioned, when I walk in the room, I want people to acknowledge who I am and give me whatever the hell I want…"

"So you basically want to be a junior Jason Morgan?" Trevor leaned on the counter of the shooting range, "Well kid, I think I can help you."

Logan was intrigued, "How so?"

"You want to be my hit-man?" Trevor laid out his hand, "The money will be more than my son will ever be able to pay you. I'll have papers drafted right after we speak for you to own a portion of Alcazar's property."

He was more than impressed; he was delighted for this was exactly what he was looking for except Trevor forgot to mention one thing, "And Johnny?"

"Good things come to those that wait, stick with me kid and the time to dispose of Johnny Zacchara will come, are you with me?"

He gripped Trevor's hand and shook it with a bright smile on his face, "What's my first mission?"

X

Lulu sat at her desk with a phone near each ear, "Yes hold please."

"Kate line 2," she pressed the speaker.

"Yes thank you," Kate pressed line two and the line was dead, "Damn it." This was the third time in the past hour she had done that, she began to think maybe she should have taken Maxie up on her offer and asked her to stay.

"Lulu?" She opened the doors of her office to where Lulu was busily trying to do four things at once.

"Yes Federico hold on a sec," Lulu looked up at her, "Yeah?"

"Darling what's going on with you? I know the lines are busy and without Maxie you've got your work cut out for you, but what's with the mess ups?"

"I'm sorry Kate err Ms. Howard, I'm just not feeling good and usually Maxie takes all the calls and I'm running off dropping the packages, I'm really sorry I'll get him back on the line," she turned away from Kate to the phone.

"No Lulu," Kate walked over to her, "I'm just about to leave anyway, why don't you turn our answering machine on and tomorrow come in and write all my messages down. I'll have a new assistant tomorrow so things shouldn't be so hectic. Deliver the proofs and whatever paper work you have left here and then take the rest of the day off." She emphasized, "And for heaven's sake if you think you've got the flu stay home, you've been like this for the past couple of days."

She paused suddenly thinking of a new plan, "You know what don't come in tomorrow, I'll have my new assistant come in and carry on your duties." She walked back into her office to get her purse.

Lulu sighed in relief when she disappeared from her sight, "Yes…" She smiled leaning back in her chair for a few seconds before remembering the phones on each of her shoulders.

"Remember Lulu," Kate closed the doors to her office, locking them and then turned to her to finish her comment, "You are the first assistant now, consider this a small promotion, but if you are going to put as much effort in as you did when you were second assistant then you can forget this job. I won't have this magazine compromised because you'd rather spend time with your boyfriend."

"Yes I know, I promise I'll be better," she nodded to assure her.

"Alright then, I'll see you…I'll see you when I see you, hope you feel better," she walked away knowing she was nicer than usual to Lulu, but she knew where she was headed next wouldn't exactly be the cheeriest place so she my as well try to be cheery before she arrived at the hospital.

She heard the elevators close and as quickly, but professionally as possible, she took the messages of everyone on the phone, called back the man on line 2, apologized and then took his message.

"Okay that's done," she congratulated herself once she put the answering machine on.

"Alright…" She moved to her next task which surprisingly didn't involve dealing with paperwork, nope, Maxie had done that for her this morning when she showed up late.

"Thank you Maxie," she slightly smiled, happy at the thought that Maxie wasn't around to respond back to her comment.

Grabbing her purse she slowly got up from the desk and pushed her chair in grabbing the stack of packages which immediately proved to be too much for her to carry. As she walked across the room to get a bin to place the packages in she felt tired, drained and just not herself. It was one of the many mysteries going on in her head, but not the most important on her list of things to solve, for right now her mind, just like it was two days ago, was on Johnny.

Carrying the bin to the elevator with the packages in she set the bin down in front of her as she waited for the elevator to come up and removed her cell phone from her pocket to see she had one new message.

She silently squealed in excitement thinking it was Johnny, but to her disappointment it was her father, _"Hey Gum Drop you doing anything for lunch? I thought we could talk about the opening, talk to you later sweet cheeks!" _

It was funny to hear her father actually want to do things with her for he never seemed to be so caring until he met Tracy. That had to be the only good thing about Tracy, as much as she made Dillon's life a living hell she did in fact care about her son and encouraged Luke to take an interest in all of them, even Nicholas.

The elevator doors opened and she slid the bin inside the elevator and pressed the ground level button where she then called her father. "Hey, it's Lulu what do you want for lunch?" She thought she could possibly run by the kitchen of the Metro Court Restaurant and put an order in while she walked to the post office they had within the hotel.

"Um surprise me."

"So you don't care if I order a salad from the Metro Court Restaurant?" She knew he hated anything healthy for Tracy forced fed him green salads every day.

"On second thought, a burger would be fine,'

"Salad it is," she joked, "Okay I'll sneak it in just this once. See you later dad."

"By honey," he hung up the phone to see a gentlemen standing at the top of the stairs.

"Well what do I owe the pleasure of this acquaintance?"

Milo walked down the stairs with his hands in the pockets of his tan suit pants, "Well my partner and I would like to know when you are opening this place up for business?"

"Partner?" Luke looked to see where this 'partner' was.

"Spin…" Milo whispered and suddenly he appeared around the wall.

"Um hello father of the blonde one," he nervously smiled.

Milo tugged on his shirt bringing him down the stairs, "Mr. Spencer, Spinelli and I along with our other secret partner have just purchased the Taylor building which is right across from here."

"I know where it is, but why?" Luke simply asked while he walked away from the counter in front of him to grab two glasses, "Drinks boys?"

"Um sure," Milo was surprised he offered.

"No thanks," Spinelli quickly jumped to saying.

"Oh that's right you only drink that orangey thing…" He reached down in the cabinet to reveal a bottle with an orange tint to it, "Now do you want a drink?"

"Well yeah, you're a swell guy," Spinelli exciting clapped his hands before joining Milo at the bar.

Sliding their drinks to them Luke swung a wash cloth over his shoulder, "So what kind of business you guys in?"

"Crime solving," Milo lifted up his drink to make a small cheer to Spinelli.

"The Jackal PI," Spinelli's face lighted up just saying the name.

"And you want what from me?" Luke looked at them dumbfounded, "Look guys I'd love to donate some money to any group of fellas that can do it better than the goons at the station my son works at, but I don't have any money, I mean there's Johnny Zacchara you could ask."

"NO," Spinelli and Milo both quickly responded, "That's okay Mr. Spencer, we're not taking donations from anyone, we want to do it on our own, we're here because we hoped you'd give us some free advertising."

"Ah that I can do, we open up in two weeks, give or say, can you get the jackal…the Taylor building up by then because it only makes sense for me to mention the place if it's up and ready to go."

"Oh yeah we'll have it ready, won't we Spin?" Milo glanced at Spinelli who rolled his eyes at the citrus taste in his mouth.

"Yeah, up and running," Spinelli licked his lips.

"How many of these have you had today Mr. Spinelli?" Luke asked wondering why it seemed like Spinelli was getting high off of a drink.

"Four," Spinelli motioned to take another sip when Luke pulled it away, "I'm cutting you off."

"But," Spinelli looked at him saddened for he really needed the drink to take off the bits of stress from the self defense class along with the shooting range.

"Four? That's asking for trouble, here," Luke grabbed a glass and filled it up with water, "Try something a little more eco friendly to your body."

"When did you become an expert?" Spinelli annoyingly asked without realizing how much emotion he put into that comment.

It was odd Luke thought, this kid never said anything in English and now he was actually speaking to him in his own language, it was kind of nice actually, "Since my wife started feeding me the five food groups."

"Six," Spinelli corrected him.

"Six," Luke annoying corrected himself, "Anyway I'm supposed to be watching what I eat and drink…"

"How's that working out for you?" Milo teased seeing the scotch in Luke's glass.

Luke looked down at his glass, "Not so well, but you know what? Sometimes you just have to live a little." He took a sip of his drink before placing the glass back down on the counter.

"So did you look at the Taylor building?" Luke had wanted to ask them this earlier, but one thing led to another and the question would have been off topic.

"Oh yeah," Milo looked at Spinelli very confident about the piece of land they just bought.

"So you know all the codes and all its previous problems?" Luke remembered in his day a large fire broke out sending the owner into bankruptcy because the fire wasn't covered.

"Um yeah," Milo glanced away from Spinelli's peculiar eyes for the lady that sold them the place didn't mention too many problems.

"So you know about the fire?" Luke hesitantly smiled trying to keep the guys hopeful about their perhaps bad investment.

"Fire?" Spinelli questioned glancing back at Milo.

"Yeah there was this huge fire there; the place went up in flames so quick it was too late for the fire fighters to save the place or the owner."

He could see by the looks of their faces they wanted a few more details, "His partner went into bankruptcy trying to pay the bank back, apparently their insurance didn't cover fires," Luke finished his scotch, "Police never found out who started the fire."

Milo's eye brows arched up, "You mean it wasn't natural?" He thought if anything it would be an electrical fire.

"Oh no, it was definitely arson, some even say there was foul play," Luke poured himself another scotch.

Spinelli glanced away from Milo to Luke extremely interested in the story, "What do you mean?"

"Well let's just say," he leaned over the counter feeling the need to hush about what he was going to say, "The owner didn't die from the fire, he was shot to death."

"So it was a setup?" Milo asked a little excited almost, seeing as this was a huge mystery and they were solving mysteries.

"Yeah, see the place was supposed to be a restaurant, upstairs was the bar and club, downstairs was just a dining place. Brilliant too, they would have made a killing in profits, but rumor has it the owner, the guy that lived, had pissed off a…well let's just say a prominent figure in society, the two weren't exactly best buds." He took a moment to pause to make sure he got the next part of the story right for he didn't want to mislead them.

"Well the night of the fire, let's just say somebody messed up, somebody killed the wrong guy, I think you can figure out the rest," Luke slightly sighed remembering the night it happened, he had just arrived when he was supposed to meet his sister for dinner, but she canceled because the hospital needed extra hands to help the burned firefighters.

Spinelli gulped feeling superstitious, "What happened to the other owner?"

"I wish I knew," Luke sighed, "Some say he killed himself because he couldn't pay off his debt others say he fled the city to avoid arrest."

"What do you think happened to him?" Milo curiously asked leaning more over the counter afraid that he'd miss something.

"Well," he spoke in a quiet, but serious tone almost as if he was telling some scary story, "I think he went crazy because his whole life was built around that restaurant. He was supposed to marry the mayor's daughter, but after the fire, there was no engagement anymore. She left him, he had no money, he had no family, but his partner's family who blamed him for his death, poor guy had nothing to live for."

"So you don't know if he's dead or alive?" Milo only wondered for he was afraid that maybe the guy would creepily return to cause them trouble.

"If you're wondering if he's going to return to cause you trouble, no. Like I said he went crazy, sometimes crazy people drink," he took a sip of his drink slightly making fun of himself, "Sometimes crazy people jump off bridges because their drunk…And the police found an unidentified body in the river about three weeks after it happened."

Milo looked at Spinelli, "Remember to look that up."

"Right," Spinelli tried his new method of mental notes.

"So now what?" Milo looked at Luke feeling like they might have just messed up somewhere along their way of starting their own business.

"Look I just told you that so you knew something about the history of the place, I assume you guys are going to knock the place down and completely rebuild?"

"Now we definitely are," Spinelli looked at them obviously freaked out by the ghost story more than Milo was.

"Good," Luke wandered to the other end of the bar where he opened a drawer and removed a few business cards.

"Now to do what you guys are trying to accomplish in two weeks, is going to be a challenge. Like I said I can't give you any money, but I can give you some names of personal friends of mine who can give you a good deal on rebuilding the place," he walked back over with a stack of business cards.

He placed one card in front of them, "These are the same people Jax hired to rebuild the Metro Court Lobby and because Jax referred them to me they gave me a very generous discount and I know if you mention either of our names and because you guys are young, you shouldn't have any problems getting a price with in your budget."

Luke then placed another card down, "These were my architects, same thing goes for them, in fact you call all these numbers up and mention my name, Jax's name or the Quartermaines," he evilly smiled knowing Tracy would never allow him to use the Q connection, "Mention these names and you should be able to get everything you are looking for at a well over decent price."

Milo took the cards, "I'll get these back to you."

"Ah don't bother," he flapped his hand, "Good luck my young entrepreneurs."

Spinelli grinned, "Nice, young entrepreneurs…I like that."

Luke nodded his head back and forth trying to contain his laughter, "See you guys later."

"Thanks father of the blonde one!" Spinelli waved as he and Milo walked up the stairs and out of the Haunted Star.

"Great," Milo said with a little sarcasm as he stared across the docks at the Taylor building.

"Oh cheer up Charlie," Spinelli laughed putting his arm around him, "I know you think this is bad luck and I'm not so thrilled about it either, but if we rebuild the place from the ground up, take everything from the place then we should be good."

"The first thing we're going to do after lunch is go back to the penthouse and research everything there is about that place…" Milo ordered like this was no exception as they walked across the docks to the car.

"I concur," Spinelli pointed his right finger up to show Milo that he too agreed it was important.

"You know what Dillon's going to say right?" Milo chuckled, "He's probably going to want us to keep part of the building because of its history."

"Well it is an original building from when the town was first built in the 1920's, a little part of it wouldn't be too bad since the place is a mystery and we'll be solving mysteries…" Spinelli was actually warming up to the idea.

"We'll see," he unlocked the car door and the two climbed in.

"Oh come on now," Spinelli glanced at him as they put on their seat belts on, "It might bring in some business too." It was like a light bulb had gone off in his head and suddenly he had tons of ideas popping around.

He quickly turned to Milo, "The place could be a museum! Sweet Samantha could give a mini tour to all of our customers! It's a great marketing idea!"

"What do YOU know about marketing?" He tried to keep a straight face as he pulled out of the small parking lot.

"Nothing, except people love a good story and if they can obtain a little of that story," he glanced at the Taylor building, "If they can have it in their home…"

"We're not selling postcards," he seriously looked at him not amused at the idea of turning there detective agency into a travel gift shop. He put the car into drive and proceeded down the road as Spinelli continued to run off his ideas.

"I'm merely suggesting…"

"No," Milo simply answered with no doubt in his mind, "We are not selling parts of the building or little crime solving actions figures that say "I'm the jackal" or anything else that's ridiculous."

Spinelli pouted for a second, "What about…"

"No," he quickly answered, "And no, Dillon isn't going to put a little documentary together on the history of the Taylor building."

"But you know he'll want to," Spinelli giggled, "Come on…"

"No," he answered like his voice was the final say in it all, he was the parent and Spinelli was the child, as usual.

"You're no fun." Spinelli sunk down in his seat.

"Aw that's not true…" Milo grinned as they came to a traffic stop he turned to Spinelli gently grabbing his shoulder, "Look I'll make you a deal, we'll save one room of the building to act as…the bathroom."

Spinelli frowned, "The bathroom?" He whined, "Where we dispose of our bottley waste?" He looked disgusted until Milo's serious face turned into a smile, "I'm just kidding."

Spinelli sighed, "Oh…ha." He laughed, "I thought you were…Ha…" He continued to laugh until Milo came up with an idea.

"I know," he suddenly thought of the room that was the most stable, "What if we make that brick room of the Taylor building…your office."

"But you said you liked it." Spinelli was slightly taken off guard; he didn't understand why Milo would give something like that up.

The light at the traffic stop turned green and Milo looked back at the road while talking, "Well you are the head guy in all this. You deserve a prestigious office and maybe that and those self defense classes along with carrying a gun will be enough to convince Fair Maxie Jones, that you are just the guy she's been looking for."

"Wel-I don't know," Spinelli threw his hands up in the air flustered at the thought of Maxie wanting him; "I mean of course I want Maximista to want me, but I really don't think that…" He paused at the sound of his phone ringing.

"Spinelli answer it," Milo glanced away from the road motioning to Spinelli's pocket, "For all you know it could be Fair Maxie." He raised his eye brows with a grin before looking back at the road and frowning because he just spoke 'Spinelli' using 'Fair' in the front of Maxie.

He doubted Milo's words as he removed his cell phone, "Yeah…" He paused seeing the name on the screen of his phone, "Right." He said slowly looking up at Milo.

"Well answer it!" Milo shouted with a laugh as they got to another traffic stop.

"Okay, okay," Spinelli slightly put his hands up, a little anxious.

He traced his finger over the talk button hearing Milo say, "Answer it before she hangs up."

Spinelli gave him the thumbs up, "Here we go." He pushed the button and pressed the phone up against his ear, "Maximista!"

_At last_, she silently thought as she walked through the front door, "What took you so long?" She tried to ask without attitude or being annoyed as she pulled her key out of the lock to hear him stuttering, "Oh my god, are you in the middle of something?" She pushed the front door open and walked out the front to grab a bag of groceries, "Am I interrupting some big investigation?" She closed the door, "I'm so sorry. I'll call you back!" She knew how annoyed Jason got when she interrupted their work.

"No!" Spinelli said in a panic, "Don't." He looked up at Milo who was wondering just what the hell was going on.

"Okay I'll wait for you to call me," she set the groceries down on the table.

"No I mean I'm not doing anything right now," Spinelli nervously talked with his hands when he noticed the light was green and that Milo need to put his foot on the petal before someone honked their horn at them and leave Maxie asking more questions.

"Oh great," she smiled happy at the thought that Jason wasn't there to parade his life and force another all-nighter on him.

Reaching for the vegetables she bought, "So how's your day been?" She didn't exactly want to come out and ask him on a date, she tried to convince herself that it would be awkward if she did that, but to be honest she was stalling because of the swarm of butterflies in her stomach that she'd somehow mess this up and Spinelli wouldn't want to date her.

"It's been good," he looked away from Milo who wanted to know what she was saying.

"That's good," she placed her hand on her hip, "That's good because I've had a good day too."

"Good, I mean that's wonderful," Spinelli was starting to rant like an idiot using as many synonyms for 'good'.

As they came to another stop Milo playfully hit him in the arm to stop him from rambling and get to the point of why she called.

"Um blonde one is there something I can do for you?" Spinelli carefully asked before looking up at Milo to see if he 'approved' of what he was saying.

"Well um," she put the vegetables in the fridge before closing the refrigerator door, slowly asking him "Are you free tonight?"

"Um," he looked at Milo wondering if he was free tonight for Stone Cold said take the afternoon off, not the rest of the night.

Milo looked at him knowing he needed his wingman to fly in and help him get back to base, "What she say?"

He partially put his hand on the phone, "She wants to know if I'm free tonight."

Milo stared at him dumbfounded, "Um yes, you are." There journey came to another stop and Milo turned to him, "Put it on speaker." He motioned so he could coach him better on what to do, but of course Spinelli was hesitant to the idea, a phone call is a private conversation he felt.

"What about Stone Cold?" Spinelli asked getting back on topic.

"I'll handle Jason," Milo insisted and the motioned Spinelli to get back to the phone call.

"Maximista?" Spinelli asked hoping she was still there.

"Yeah? If you're busy tonight that's okay, we can do it…" She paused at the pun she just said, "I mean we can always hang out tomorrow or whenever you're free."

"No I'm free tonight, Jason is probably going to be at the hospital all day so I don't think he'll be having me work tonight," he looked back at Milo who was giving him bright smile that he was doing a great job, especially talking proper English.

"Okay great," she softly smiled, "So I was thinking we could," she walked towards the kitchen table to pull out a chair "We could meet at Kelly's around seven?" She sat down tapping her fingers along the table.

"Um don't we always meet at Kelly's around seven?" He was confused for he didn't understand why she was calling to confirm plans that they had already made.

She didn't think her question was that stupid, but apparently it was, "Well we haven't talked since…since that night at Kelly's and since you haven't been in Kelly's since then I wondered if you would come in on your own so I wanted to make sure you'd show up tonight…" Maxie felt like all that was coming out of her mouth was 'since' and in a way she was right, she said it four times.

"Um yeah I'll be at Kelly's tonight, I can help with your shift, I'll bring Milo too," Spinelli looked up at Milo to signal him that this wasn't what they thought.

Milo slightly frowned in his condolences to Spinelli's disappointments and then looked back the road where the Metro Court was just five minutes away.

She quickly realized he had of course jumped to the wrong conclusion, "Oh you don't have to bring Milo. In fact Mike told me to close Kelly's early…" She finished on a positive note, smiling for she knew she was almost there in explaining to him what was going on.

"Oh," Spinelli looked away from Milo incredibly nervous now for maybe it was exactly what they thought.

"Yeah, so I thought we could well hang out tonight, just you and me."

"I." Spinelli slightly corrected her knowing she wouldn't get annoyed unlike Luke.

"I," she giggled meanwhile thinking _whatever_, "Just you and I at Kelly's around seven o' clock. I'll have dinner ready…"

"Are you sure that's a good idea? Can I trust you with a stove?" He suddenly found himself teasing her cooking almost forgetting that Milo was in the car.

"Very funny, Spinelli there will be food there you can eat and just in case," she looked in the grocery bag, "I bought you barbeque chips."

"So what's the occasion? To what do I owe such kindness?" He was quite impressed that she went out of her way to buy him barbeque chips which meant she was probably going to have a case of orange soda there as well.

"Well," she giggled thinking for a moment when she reflected back to what he just said, "What do you mean 'to what do I owe such kindness' I'm always kind to you."

"Wel-I didn't mean it like that," he was afraid he might have hurt her feelings.

"Spinelli all I want to do is thank you and tell you something, something really good, something important."

"Alright," Spinelli could instantly tell he shouldn't question anything else about the night, leave something for a surprise.

He looked at Milo who was coming to a traffic stop, the last one before turning into the Metro Court, "Spin…" He tried to get his attention.

"What's she saying?" He asked for he wanted to make sure spinelli was on the right track with everything.

An awkward pause set in giving Spinelli just enough time to explain what she just said, "Spinelli…" Milo whispered, "Tell her you've got something to say too." He insisted Spinelli should also hint about having something important to share which of course would be his career.

"You still there?" He asked for her and heard her voice, "Just to let you know I've got something to share with you too."

"You do?" She now wondered what it could be, "Like what?" She didn't want to wait for dinner.

"Something, something really good, something important," he repeated her words to keep her puzzled.

"Hmm how original wording Spinelli," she expressed slight sarcasm, "I'll see you tonight then." She looked at her watch, she only have about five hours left and she still needed to take a shower, do her make up and hair plus cook dinner.

"Yeah, Kelly's, seven," he listed the place and time just to make sure he had it right.

"Great it's a date," she said, but he hung up before he could hear the end of the last word.

"So…" Milo said while pulling into the Metro Court Parking lot, "Did my man just get hooked up?"

"She wants to have dinner, talk to me about something, thank me and that's it I mean I hardly think it's something to…"

"Spinelli it's a date," he quickly dismissed any thoughts Spinelli might have of anything less than that.

"It certainly is not," Spinelli didn't want to get his hopes up on something that she never quite labeled as exactly that, a date.

"It certainly is," Milo parked the car, "Dinner, she wants to talk? Hello those are all signs of…well she wants to jump your bones Spinelli." He bluntly said to Spinelli's astonishment.

"Close your mouth Spinelli, Maxie Jones likes you, okay?" He thought his words would comfort Spinelli, but it only made him more uncomfortable for Spinelli was starting to believe what he was saying.

"What am I going to do?" Panic rose in Spinelli, "She likes me."

"Calm down Spinelli," Milo laughed while unbuckling his seat belt and turning the car off.

"No you don't get it Milo," Spinelli grabbed onto his shoulders, "She likes me! No girl has ever liked me except Georgie."

"And that crazy chick." Milo still liked to tease him about Nurse Jolene.

Spinelli wasn't exactly amused by his comment, "The point is if I believe what you're telling me…The Jackal has a date, Milo the Jackal has never been on a date."

Milo could see he was deeply worried about this, "Okay, here's what we're going to do. Over lunch I'm going to tell you exactly what you're going to do, but here's the first tip, be your self." He got out of the car with Spinelli at the same time and locked the black SUV, where they walked to the entrance of the Metro Court.

Opening the door open for Spinelli Milo took a look at what he was wearing, "Oh and Spinelli."

"Yeah?"

"You are definitely not wearing that on your first date."

* * *

Next Chapter..."Lucky's death" becomes known. Luke disowns Lulu, two Baldwin's argue, Sam refuses to believe the truth, who will help her find her boy friend? Sonny, Jax, Carly and Jason learn there's a connection to the shootings, a little liason moment. Thanks for reading and don't forget to review! Plus if you all want spoilers or just a heads up, I'll be more than happy to tell you!


	17. Fire and Rain

**Chapter 17: Fire and Rain**

Author's Note:

So this chapter, titled "Fire and Rain" has nothing to do with fire or rain, it's based on the song "Fire and Rain" by James Taylor. I felt since the chapter is about people finding out Lucky's "death" that it seemed fitting. So the second half of the chapter is focused mainly on Lulu, the first part consists of Sam finding out which is a big plot point because she'll...well you'll see. The second part is Elizabeth, Robin, Carly...and well everyone at hospital finding out the truth which sets up more plot development. This chapter I would say continues to build up the events that happen that night. There is a reason for everything, remember that, I don't write fluff for fun unless it's for Spinelli, Maxie, Johnny or Lulu. Lol. Thanks for reading, I really do enjoy the reviews. Once again if you want spoilers, hints or have suggestions, like an idea for something, let me know. Also be more than happy to post my story on fan websites, I put this story on Opposites attract, but that's primarily it. Enjoy!

* * *

"Mom!" Sam greeted her with a hug, "So tell me how your trip was!" She motioned Alexis to walk inside her apartment.

"It was good, I mean Scott Baldwin is interesting company, but the trip was alright," she stood at the couches wondering how to tell her the news.

"Well let me put some tea on or coffee," she began to move towards the kitchen.

"Umm, okay," she really didn't know how to tell her know.

"Okay I'll be right back," she smiled before skipping her way into the kitchen where Alexis took a seat on the couch.

Sitting on the couch she removed her phone to call the station to see if there was any change in the news she had been given just an hour ago, "Mac it's Alexis."

Mac stood at his desk listening to Alexis ask if anything else had been found, "Alexis the New York City Police Department found a body, it's a match to Rodriguez, I'm afraid there's no hope for Lucky."

"Are you sure?" She asked, "Are you it's a match to Rodriguez?" She quietly whispered.

"They said half his head was missing, that matches what we found at the crime scene, it's a match," he pressed his hands against the arch of his nose.

"But that," she was interrupted.

"He used to work for the New York City Police Department Alexis, his partners identified the body for us, I sent a few officers to bring him back here for an autopsy report," he looked up from the forensic files when David Harper gently touched his shoulders.

"I'm going to inform Elizabeth now; Marty just finished contacting Rodriguez's family."

"Alright," Mac frowned, "Good Luck."

"Yeah," David nodded before leaving the precinct.

"Alexis?" He wasn't sure if she was still on the phone.

"Yeah?" She looked away from the kitchen.

"I've got to go, but I'll call you if I hear anything," he assured her and the phone clicked.

"Mom?" Sam walked back in, "It should just be a few minutes," she pointed back to the kitchen referencing the coffee.

She sat on the couch opposite from Alexis, "So who were you just on the phone with?"

"Um," she took a short deep breath, "That was Mac."

"Oh, well did you find out who shot Michael?" She hoped they had so that Carly, Jax, Sonny and especially Jason might be able to have a little comfort or closure in the matter.

She nodded to imply that they had not found out who the shooter was, "Sam, I don't know any other way to say this, but…Lucky's missing."

"What do you mean he's missing?" Sam looked at her mother not understanding the words that were coming out of her mouth.

"I mean the department hasn't heard from him in two days, NYPD found Cruz's body, we already knew he was dead and well…" _That was just proof_ she told herself.

"No," Sam slowly covered her mouth, "No Lucky's not dead," her voiced weakened in a hollow whine, "He's going to come home…" She looked up at the dinner she had set for them.

"I wish the evidence lied, but this time it doesn't," Alexis approached her.

"No, cause, see he's supposed to come home," she got up from the couch before her mother could embrace her, "I had this dinner all planned out."

Touching the plates as she walked past the table her voice refused to let go of hope, "I have Lucky's favorites in the fridge, waiting to be warmed up." She looked up at the candles, "These are brand new and now…now they'll never be used…"

"Sam honey," she walked towards her daughter wanting to let her cry in her arms, but Sam refused.

"Don't come near me," she didn't mean to hurt her feelings, but she was afraid if her mother put her arms around her then she would collapse, break down and have to accept what Alexis and the entire department believed was inevitable.

"I just want to help," she held out her arms, but Sam became more standoffish.

"No, you are telling me to give up and I'm not willing to do that, you tell me to give up when you have a body, until then, this is just some bad rumor," she walked away from her mother to the front door.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find someone who believes in Lucky, who believes in the case" and she knew exactly who to come to.

"Honey we're doing everything we can." She walked towards her as Sam busily grabbed her purse and cell phone.

Putting her hand on the door knob she looked at her mother, "Well it isn't good enough." She opened the door knowing that whenever her mouth would decide to leave she'd lock the place up.

Taking the elevator where she was alone she leaned against the wall closing her eyes and if she thought real hard she could feel his arms around her. She hugged her bear arms with her eyes still closed seeing fast paced images of her and Lucky, of every moment, of every memory they made. "He can't be, he promised me he'd come home, he promised."

Walking out of the apartment complex she ignored her Landlord's hello and walked to her car where as soon as she sat down in the driver's seat and closed the door, her tears rained down her cheeks like a thunderstorm of rage for once again her life was in shambles.

* * *

David Harper waited for the chime of the elevator to go off thinking over and over again how he'd tell her and any friends of Lucky that they'd never see him again, at least not alive that is.

Elizabeth was alone at the nurse's station filing paper work when she heard the elevators opened.

"Hey David," Elizabeth smiled at him even though he didn't look like he was in the mood to be cheered up.

"Do you want me to page Patrick again for you," she asked until she saw him enter, "Patrick."

"No," he frowned, but quietly muttered, "No that won't be necessary" as she motioned Patrick to come over.

Patrick could see Elizabeth motioning to him to come over, but he stopped in his tracks when he saw the look in David's eyes, "He's gonna tell her."

"Tell her what?" Robin looked up at him wondering why they had stopped walking.

He looked at Robin refusing to answer her back with any details of what David was going to say, "Come on." He motioned her to walk with him to the nurse's station.

Carly emerged with Jax, Jason, Sonny and Kate from another hall seeing the detective, "Finally a cop when you need one!"

David sighed in annoyance as Carly made her way to him, "No I don't have any answers as to who shot Michael."

"Well then what are you doing here?" Carly put her hands on her hips thinking he and every other police officer was working to find out who put her kid in a coma.

David looked away from Carly, "Elizabeth I need to speak with you."

"Well I'm not on break yet," she became nervous by his somber behavior.

"What? No!" Carly stepped in front of his view of Elizabeth, "You don't need to be talking to her! You need to find out who put my little boy in here!"

"Carly," Jax tried to talk her down, but of course she wouldn't listen unless Jason or Sonny asked her too.

"No," pulled away from her husband's tug, "I think my son is a little more important then whatever he has to tell Elizabeth," she looked back at David who was trying to keep his cool.

"Ma'am I told you we have no new information. I'm not longer on the case you'll have to talk to someone else," he turned to Elizabeth, "Please, I wouldn't ask you if it wasn't important."

Carly threw a fit, "Of course whatever Elizabeth wants she gets!"

"LOOK!" David lost it, "We have been up all fucking night since your son was shot trying to figure out who shot him. I'm sorry that I don't have an answer, but right now the department has another case that demands the utmost priority which we believe might be in connection to the shooting!"

"Hey!" Jason grabbed him, "You don't speak to her like that alright!" He shoved him against the wall, "She just lost her son."

"And I've just lost my partner so get the fuck off me!" He pushed him away to catch Elizabeth's confused face.

"What?" She thought about what he just said, "What did you just say?"

"Elizabeth I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to find out this way," he walked passed Jason.

"Find out what?" Sonny asked not knowing that Lucky was his partner from time to time in the field.

"Elizabeth I think you need to come down to the station," he didn't want to tell everyone the truth right now.

"No," she nodded slowly putting down the paper work in her hands, "Just tell me." She slowly blinked taking a short deep breath, "I can handle it."

"Okay," he put his hands on his hips basically addressing the entire crowd, "Lucky is missing. We lost touch with him two nights ago."

Carly slowly raised her hands over her mouth while Kate just stared at Elizabeth trying to figure out if someone had told her someone she loved was dead how she would react.

"When you called me, we were putting a team together to find him because when he called just minutes after you, the line went dead and because he was under cover we didn't have his location."

"Did you call Cruz?" She tried to lighten up the seriousness of the situation, "He always knows where Lucky is," she refused to give up that her life long friend was gone.

"NYPD found his body a few hours ago."

"Oh my," Carly and Robin gasped.

"We found his car yesterday morning at the place Lucky was working under cover at, both their DNA was all over the place," he knew he was giving them more information then he was supposed to, but he was tired, to tired to be the cop that was on top of everything. He felt himself wanting to fall apart, but knew he had to be strong for in a second the reality was going to hit her.

Elizabeth nodded in disagreement of it all slowly stepping off the nurse's station knowing that everyone was staring at her, "So what you're telling me is that he's dead?" She stopped right in front of him.

"Well we haven't found his body," he tried to seem hopeful while looking up at Patrick and even the man that attacked him just a few minutes ago, for some help with her.

"But you obviously have reason to believe he's dead other wise you wouldn't be informing everyone right now would you? Would you David? Huh?" She raised her tone of voice not knowing she was taking her bitterness out on him.

"Yes we do, but Elizabeth Mac is looking everywhere for him." He thought that would give her the impression that the department wasn't ready to give up.

"What's the point?" She shrugged her shoulders.

"Elizabeth," Patrick wanted to say something encouraging to her, but ignored him.

"You've already decided he's dead? So should I tell my children there father is never coming home? Huh? Please don't hold back David, tell me it all." She crossed her arms thinking if she just got angry at him that the pain in her heart would subside.

"Elizabeth, please don't," David wished she'd stop bringing blame towards him, he felt guilty enough.

She was silent seeing him fight back the anger and the tears of frustration over it all, it was then, it was then looking in his eyes that it hit her. She reached for the counter of the nurse's station while covering her mouth as she felt her knees lose balance, "He's really gone?"

She had always taken Lucky for granted, always and even though he would say she had reason for he had cheated on her and been addicted to pills, she always felt guilty for lying to him about Jake. Now all that could be done with such memories of their horrible failures to one another was to leave such moments in the past. Another musketeer was lost.

"Oh…" She found herself trying over and over again to grab the counter, but after so many tries she decided to crumble to the ground, but of course her white knight couldn't possibly take another second of seeing her melt into puddle of nothing. No, Jason Morgan caught her in his arms as she fell to her knees, weeping of the friend, of the father to their children, of the lover whom she'd always remember as her first, as the man who rescued her from her own doom so many years ago.

"Cameron, Jason, Cameron is going to…" She sobbed, "How am I supposed to…" She began to breathe irregularly almost having a slight panic attack, "He's not gonna understand."

"We'll figure out something," he gently kissed her head forgetting everyone that was around them, forgetting that people were watching, forgetting that anyone at that given moment could see the tight bond two strangers suddenly had.

"Shh," he gently stroked her hair as she closed her eyes crying on his shoulder, "We'll tell the boys together." He slipped, but she failed to notice what he had just admitted.

Staring down at them it became apparent what was going on, David had suddenly realized that Lucky had no biological children of his own, no, he had offered to raise the son of a mobster as the son of cop. At first he was slightly disappointed, he thought Lucky was a better than this, he thought Lucky took pride in his life, but seeing that he lived a lie, he suddenly found himself admiring the man. Lucky wanted to be a father so badly that blood or DNA didn't matter to him, it just didn't.

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth I wish I had better news," he wished he could offer some kind of comfort to her, but right now, she wanted to forget that he stopped by, that he said such words.

"I'm sorry," he whimpered, feeling the warm salty tears on his lips. He turned away from the grieving ex-wife and walked into the waiting room with his right hand on his hip and left hand on his head rubbing his hair. Her sobs made him feel more guilty and glancing at her in the arms of her obvious lover didn't make things any better until he felt the arms of a woman around him.

Robin couldn't bear to see David beat himself over this so in the time he had walked away from the area bitter she had quietly walked off to pull him into a hug. He looked down at his friend, his voice choking up as he said, "Robin I knew something was wrong and I didn't act quickly enough."

"You did everything you could," she looked at Jason who had picked Elizabeth up in his arms and carried her down the hall to a place they could be private.

"Robin, you've got to talk to Mac, he's worse then I am. He believes he's let the whole town down," he pulled away from the friendly hug.

"That's not true," Robin looked at him, "You have to tell him that he's not let anyone down."

"I don't know if he's going to believe me, he's talking of retiring," he knew by the look of her face that Mac was serious.

"Um," Sonny still wanted to know what the connection was between the cops and his son.

"What?" David looked at him not at all pleased being in his presence.

"I don't understand how this connects to Michael," he didn't want to seem selfish for obviously something perhaps bigger then his son's shooting had occurred.

"Well whoever did this left a calling card," he removed his notepad reading, "When the bullets fly and the smoke clears all that will be left standing is my vengeance over the blood of the angelic."

"That's the calling card?" Jax asked but didn't see a correlation between the two crimes, "But there wasn't a calling card at the place Michael was shot."

"No, but this same calling card was found at the Psychiatric Ward for the Criminally Insane in New York City. A man walked in, saw Mr. Zacchara and then as he left he shot five officers when they had him at gun point."

"Do you believe the Zacchara family was responsible for what happened to my boy?" Carly asked as Sonny wondered the same thing for he had been looking for an excuse to kill Johnny Zacchara, maybe now he had it.

He realized his words were very important in that moment for if he slipped up and said in his opinion 'yes' then a whole mob war could break out, "No, we don't. I'm just saying we're looking into everything, we feel like because there's a connection between those two cases that something might pop up to help us solve Michael's case."

"I'm going to check up on Elizabeth," Robin told him, "Tell Mac I'm sorry." She politely kissed him on the cheek.

"I will thanks," he watched as she walked off with Patrick to see where Jason and Elizabeth had run off to.

He looked down at his watch that have ten passed two, "I have to be getting back to the station," he looked at Sonny, Kate, Jax and Carly.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Harper," Jax felt it was only right to off his condolences and was please when David accepted his hand shake, "Me too, Rodriguez was a good cop. I only hope that Lucky didn't suffer the same fait."

"David," Carly softly said his name as he walked to the elevator, "Tell everyone thank you for their efforts, I apologize for how I exploded on you and for Jason, I really want you and the department to know that I appreciate everything you are doing."

He nodded slightly forming a smile before leaving on the elevator where Carly looked back at Jax, "God that's horrible, Lulu…Lulu is going to be devastated."

Kate held onto Sonny's arm thinking that Lulu would need more than just a few days off, "I'll be sure to give her all time she needs off."

Carly ignored her comment for she was still angry at Kate for taking Michael to the warehouse where he was shot, she did however look at Sonny to see his reaction and of course he was still the same arrogant son of a bitch.

"Guess that's the price she pays for hanging with Johnny Zacchara," Sonny suggested that this was some retaliation on his family against police officers who might have been sticking their noses in the wrong place.

"No," she laughed in disbelief shoving her finger on his chest, "You are the price we paid, you brought this hell here." She grabbed Jax's hand and walked him back to Michael's room.

"Of course, it's my fault Carly."

"You damn right it is!" She turned to him, "You know you used to be the kind of man that would own up to his mistakes and now because of her because she tells you that nothing is your fault you don't. I want to know Sonny, how many more people have to die because of you?"

"Carly," Kate frustratingly called her name for her words were seriously hurting him.

"Shut up!" She let go of Jax's hand and walked towards her, "You don't get to have a say in whatever I tell him because you took my son to a place where he wasn't protected!" She yelled loud enough so Sonny couldn't miss a word.

Sonny couldn't take her babbling anymore, "I know!" He shouted moving in front of Carly, "I know it was stupid! But don't you dare blame Kate."

Carly laughed in disbelief, "You and self righteous Kate are never allowed to see Michael, you are not his father anymore."

His eyes grew eyed, "You don't…"

"I do. Because of you our son is in a coma, because of you those cops are dead, don't you get it Sonny! You destroy everyone around you," she looked up at Kate, "And you miss, you should know first hand, you lost your job over this scum, you're reputation, and soon enough you'll lose your magazine and god do I hope you do because then you'll see just how destructive Sonny can be!"

"Alright!" Sonny blurted grabbing her by the arm, "You've said your peace, now get out!"

"Let go of my wife," Jax grabbed his hand, "Let her go or I'll make sure you never see Michael, Morgan and Kristina ever again."

"Sonny," Kate said weakly to him after catching Jax's glare to get him under control.

Sonny removed his hand from her wrist looking at her with just as much hatred as she placed on him, "This isn't over. Hell will freeze over before you take my children away."

She laughed, "Why don't you take your Barbie and leave because you're not wanted." She walked away with Jax having enough of Sonny for one day.

"Sonny don't listen to her," she tugged on Sonny's arm.

"But you agree don't you?" He asked, but by the time she answered back he didn't want to hear whatever she had to say, "Never mind don't answer that."

"Sonny," she tried to keep him by her side, but he let go of her hand, "I have to go Kate…" He heard her ask where, "Somewhere." He answered which of course wasn't an answer. Leaving in the elevator, he thought he'd make a visit to see Luke, his old business partner, whom he knew wouldn't turn his back on him.

* * *

Ric stood in the elevator of the Metro Court when Logan walked in, it was just the two of them, five minutes together, and yet just enough time for them to converse, "So what did he offer you?"

Holding his hands behind his back, he looked at the closed elevator doors while whispering even though it was just the two of them, "Twenty percent of the Alcazar Water Front."

"Perfect," Ric smiled, "He fell for it."

"You were right, he would ask me to be his," Logan nodded initiating the word 'hit-man'.

"You know what this means?" Ric still had a glimmer of his smile left in him.

Logan wasn't quite sure if what he thought it meant was what Ric thought it meant, so he looked at Ric perplexed.

"Aw come on Hayes, we talked about this," Ric walked towards the buttons on the elevator pushing the stop button to stall the elevator, "What did I teach you?"

"This isn't a good idea," Logan became nervous that the elevator was stalling.

"Hey I have nothing to lose here, you do, you have everything to lose because I know you're type, play everyone while you can, get what you can and then do damage control later."

"I'm not gonna mess this up," Logan walked towards him.

"You already are," Ric crossed his arms to see the confusion on his face.

"The morning you slept off you hangover at my house, we discussed this plan, we discussed all your options, but the one thing I made extremely clear is that you never, never discuss our business in public."

"But," he motioned his hand around the elevator, they weren't in public.

"The biggest mistake you can make is acting like you and I work together, if people know you haven't broken your ties with me, you're other alliances will crumble. You and I can never be seen in public with each other, if I need to see you I'll find you, otherwise keep to the plan."

Logan nodded realizing he had made a huge mistake, "I'm sorry, it'll never happen again."

"Good," Ric pushed the button and walked back to where he was before, "Next time you take a different elevator. Next time if we happen to be at the same event, you don't look at me and you don't come towards me unless I'm conversing with the same people you are working with, you politely say 'hi' I do the same and we walk away."

"I understand," Logan stood at the opposite side of the elevator with his hands behind his back, "I'll leave first."

"Right you will," Ric heard the chime of the elevator opening, "Until next time."

"There won't be a next time," Logan formed a clever smile in the corner of his mouth before walking out of the elevator catching Ric's smile, _that a boy._

He glanced away from the elevator as the doors closed hearing his name being shout, "Logan!"

Jerking his head around he saw his father making his way to him, "Logan my boy!" He patted him on the back, "So glad you could make it." He walked him over to his table.

"Yeah well you're lucky I had nothing else planned for tonight, so what's the occasion?" He sat down.

"Well first of all, how are you?" Scotty planted his elbows on the table sliding his hands together.

"I'm good." He said without even having to think about it.

"Well I wish I could say the same, I'm sure you've heard already, Lucky Spencer is missing and we believe he's most likely dead, we found his partner's body a few hours ago."

"Are you serious?" Logan hadn't heard about this at all, "Does Lulu know?"

"Well that's what I was going to say, I've volunteered to tell Luke and Lulu, if you want to score some points with her, now would be the time," he grinned.

"I'll keep that in mind, but Lulu and I are over," he said with a bitter taste in his mouth, not for long if he could help it.

They ordered their drinks and Logan caught Scotty up on what he had missed, "So I have this whole romantic dinner planned, it didn't even have to be romantic, I just wanted to thank her."

"Thank her? She hit you with a wrench," he wondered why his son was being so nice to the bitch of Luke Spencer's daughter.

"Dad, she thought I was the killer and with in reason," he faintly remembered her finding all the evidence he was going to use to set up Johnny.

"You are still hung up on her," Scotty looked away from his son leaning back into his chair.

"No I'm not," he wasn't too convincing, "I'm just explaining the situation," he looked up at the waitress who brought them their drinks.

"Thanks," Logan looked back at Scotty, "Anyway, I've got this nice evening planned at Vista Point and she is a complete bitch to me."

"Well that's a Spencer woman for you," Scotty leaned over the counter, "However Laura was much kinder, sweeter than Lulu."

Logan shrugged his shoulders not really taking interest in his father's last comment, he didn't know Laura so he obviously couldn't compare them, "I tried to be nice, understanding, I told her it didn't have to be a date, that we could just be friends and she didn't even want that."

"It's that Johnny kid she wants, I tell you Logan you are better off, she's like her cousin Carly." He took a sip from his drink, "But son I'm glad you've moved on."

"Me too," Logan nodded knowing it wasn't exactly true, he wasn't over Lulu and everything he was doing was because of Lulu.

Scotty was slightly humored by the way he said 'me too' for he wasn't too enthusiastic about it, "So you're drinking days are over I assume?"

"Coleman told you?" He was slightly embarrassed.

"No, Marty at the station told me. He said Ric Lansing went to pick you up as a personal favor to me," Scotty leaned forward, "Ric doesn't owe me any favors, so I'm going to ask you. What was he doing at Jakes Logan?"

Logan slightly laughed while taking a drink to by him time for an answer, "Just being a nice guy, he dropped me off at my apartment that was it."

Scotty looked at him not impressed, "I'm gonna tell you this once and once only. If you think working with Ric or Trevor or the Zaccharas…"

Logan interrupted him completely flabbergasted, "Dad, why would I work with the Zaccharas? I hate Johnny."

"Just my point," he angrily leaned over the table becoming aggressive, "You hate Johnny which means you'll do anything to destroy him, kill him, take his business away…"

He paused, seeing Logan shift uncomfortably in his seat trying to deny his allegations, "…As long as long as you get Lulu."

"You couldn't be anymore wrong," Logan pouted while crossing his arms.

"I'm telling you boy," he raised his voice as the anger in him fumed like none other; "You have got to accept that Lulu will never love you!"

"And you have got to accept that I'm not you!" He sprung up from the table.

"Sit back down," Scotty didn't like the attention Logan suddenly brought to them.

Leaning over to him, he spoke with such vengeance that Scotty knew from that moment on the Logan Hayes he knew, the honorable soldier, the man who wanted to make up for the man he was in the past, was gone. "I will do whatever it takes."

In his slight desperation he tried to convince himself these words would some how ring true some day, "She will love me."

Scotty looked down at the table with his son still standing, but his anger had subsided and instead he spoke of wanting the only parent, the only family he had left to just understand, "Dad."

He clenched his jaw while frowning at his son's predicament. He understood, he understood better then anyone and yet he couldn't support his actions, he couldn't watch his son destroy himself over someone who never really cared for him in the first place.

"Logan," he looked up at him, gulping his heart ache, "I'm sorry I was never the father you deserved."

He got up from the table putting his hand on Logan's shoulder, "I want you to know that I'm genuinely sorry that you grew up without a father and as much as I want to make up for all the time I've lost with you, I can't."

Logan searched his father's eyes for something resembling the love for a son and for a second he thought he saw it, but his father kept talking and the spark of the father-son relationship he thought they had formed was gone.

"I don't want you to be like me Logan, no. I want you to find happiness. I want you to find someone who truly loves you, marry them and have a family. Have a life that I never had because I let my hatred for my ex-wife destroy me."

"Dad," Logan was barely hanging on for his true fears of being alone weren't just tested anymore they were coming true.

"I'm going to tell you from experience that trying to destroy the man you hate in hopes that after he's in jail or he's dead or after you've taken everything away from him that she'll come back to you and love you with all her heart without hating you at all, is simply not possible."

"In fact it's the quickest way to lose her and if you think she won't know you were responsible, she will. And after everything is said and done, she will look at you trying to remember what she first saw in you and then she'll realize there was nothing their in the first place because if there were she would have chose you over him a long time ago."

Logan clenched his jaw rubbing his lips together, desperately trying to keep in his hurt tears from escaping his eyes that were no longer looking at him, "I get it."

"If you go after the man she loves, she will never love you, she'll hate you." Scotty repeated his opinion for the last time not at all expecting Logan's aggressive behavior to brush his hand off his shoulder. "Logan, don't do this!" Scotty attempted to grab his shoulder again, but Logan grabbed the jacket of his suit along his chest, quietly shouting, "I'll do whatever the hell I want to do and I'll do it better than you or anyone else. I'll get the girl, I'll get the money and the power and I'll bring something to the Baldwin name that you could never bring…"

"And what's that tough guy!" Scotty shouted trying to get lose of his son's grip.

"Fear," he said not at all affected by his father's face. He loosened his grip on his father's shirt, shoving him away as he finally let go, "We're done here."

As his son walked away Scotty straightened himself up, "She'll never love you Logan, never."

Logan didn't once look back at his father whom he now disowned. Instead, he just waved his hand back signaling 'whatever' and then stepped onto the elevator wondering where Lulu was.

"Everything okay Mr. Baldwin?" The waitress asked as she walked over to him.

"Fine," he reached for his wallet, "Here's forty," he put it on the table while in the corner of his eye he watched his son disappear as the elevator doors closed.

* * *

Luke sat at the end of the right side of behind the bar looking at his daughter who seemed distracted, "Pumpkin?"

"Yeah," she looked up from her salad sitting behind the bar with her elbow on the counter and her resting against her cheek.

"You okay?" He saw her pale face.

"Yeah I'm fine," she looked down at her salad poking the fork in and around the green lettuce.

"Are you sure?" He could see she wasn't fine, "This about Johnny?"

"No," she quickly looked up at him trying to turn off any suspicion that it was, "I'm just thinking about work."

"Uh huh," Luke looked back at his French fries soaked in ketchup.

She forcefully shoved her fork of green lettuce and carrots into her mouth, "It's just that…"

"What?" He saw her stalling.

"Well I kind of got a promotion," she smiled.

"Well congratulations!" He clapped, but saw she wasn't too excited about it, "Why aren't we celebrating?"

"Because Maxie got the bigger promotion, I lost." She grumpily stabbed another leaf of green lettuce.

"You lost?" He always knew in the back of his mind that the two were competing, but he didn't think it was that serious.

"Yup," she tried grinned, "Great Spencer loses."

Luke laughed at how his kids always assumed that being a Spencer meant having to win everything, "You and your brother…Always associate success in your life with winning."

"Well failing constitutes us being losers," she looked at him like 'duh'.

"So am I a loser because I failed to protect your mother the night she lost her mind when her father was killed?" He seriously looked at her not amused by his children's low self-esteem.

"No," she looked at him, "It's just that Maxie has been throwing this whole thing in my face and now she finally has something to hold over me besides Spinelli."

"Spinelli?" Luke walked around the front of the bar to sit on a barstool so he could be right across from her.

"She has Spinelli wrapped around her little finger and I'm sure that's how she managed getting that promotion…" Lulu looked down at her salad that she didn't exactly feel like eating.

"Spinelli?" Luke didn't understand how the kid he saw just an hour ago held the ticket for who got a promotion and who didn't.

"I don't know exactly what he did to help her," she was going to rant on, but he interrupted.

"Are you so sure he did?" Luke really wondered how someone let alone Spinelli could really help someone get a promotion because in the end a promotion is based on the work of the actual individual.

She didn't answer for she really didn't know how Maxie got her promotion, but she had this feeling it was because of Spinelli.

"Honey, I have a feeling it isn't her promotion that's got you down."

"Then what is it?"

"Is it possible you're jealous of Maxie's relationship with Spinelli?" He smiled knowing he was right even when she put a brave front up, "no."

"Not even a little bit…" He lingered on, but she nodded in disagreement, "No way, she doesn't even care about him."

"Well peaches the last time I looked neither did you." He got up from the bar stool to walk back over to his other chair at the end of the bar.

"That's not true," she looked at him serious almost offended by his comment, "I care about Spinelli."

He leaned on the counter picking up a French fry, "Then why are you trying so hard to prove it?"

She grabbed her plate and walked towards the trash that was right next to him, "I know I've been a bad friend to him, but that doesn't mean I don't care about him, I've just made bad decisions regarding him."

"Sounds fishy," he slid the French fry into his mouth before licking his lips of the ketchup, "Darling," he paused for she began to walk back to her bar stool.

"Dad," she rolled her eyes not really wanting to hear what he had to say.

"Lulu," he smiled, "You have to accept that you dated a guy who beat him up. You basically told Spinelli that he didn't mean anything to you. You told him to get lost so that's what he did, he got lost and someone found him."

"But," she tried to justify her actions, but Luke interrupted, "No, butts you went a long time without as so much as talking to him, you have no claim on him honey. You don't get to tell him who he can and can not be friends with seeing as you didn't exactly want to hear it from him," he smiled knowing that wasn't exactly what she wanted to hear.

"Whatever," she looked away from him where she heard a knock from the entrance of the room.

"Um I'm sorry to interrupt." Scott Baldwin stood at the top of the stairs.

"What is it Baldwin?" Luke turned away from Lulu in an annoyance, "What brings the Special Prosecutor?"

"Luke," he paused as he walked down the stairs with his right hand in his pocket, "I wish I was here to arrest you, but…"

Lulu could see this was going to be some rivalry thing between them, "I'm leaving, bye dad,"

"No Lulu," Scott said her name in a panic as he came down to the bar, "You need to stay."

"Look if this is about Logan, he and I are over, I broke it off with him a few days ago for good this time…"

"I know, I just saw him, I'm sorry that's how you two ended, but I think you two might want to sit down."

Luke could see a glimmer in his eyes that something was wrong. Scotty could have come here to rub his nose in him reopening the Haunted Star, he could have told Lulu what a mistake she made dumping his son, but instead he was being…kind, selfless, perhaps even noble.

"What's going on?" Luke asked in a serious, but gentler tone.

"Dad he's just here to be annoying," Lulu didn't understand why her father was speaking to Scotty like he actually cared what he had to say.

"Lulu," Luke glanced at her to shut it for two seconds, "Baldwin what's going on?"

"Luke I was informed about a few hours ago that Lucky is missing."

"What kind of missing?" Luke looked at him for Lucky had been "missing" before.

"I don't know much, I just got back with Alexis from our conference and the department was a mess, Mac took us into the interrogation room and told us that they haven't heard from Lucky and his partner in two days."

Lulu looked Scotty who was getting choked up just explaining the news, "Well that could mean anything."

Luke looked away from his daughter and back at Scotty, "She's right; he could be hiding out some where, both him and his partner."

"Luke they found Rodriguez's car by a motel 8 outside of Port Charles where Lucky was doing under cover work…" He spread his hands out along the bar leaning on it, "Forensics found gun powder, blood, bone fragments, brain tissue…"

"But no body," Lulu insisted knowing that without a body no evidence, no matter what they had would be enough to convince them, to convince the Spencer Clan that one of their own was dead; no it wasn't true it wasn't possible, not yet.

He looked away from Luke to Lulu who was trying to be strong, but her face turned whiter as he told her "Lulu, the blood matched his DNA."

She put her hand on her hip, taking a deep breathe, trying not to panic, but his words, the evidence, it sounded to her like Lucky was in trouble.

"But not the other stuff right?" Luke brought his focus back to him hoping Lulu would calm her self down as he tried to pump Scotty for more information.

"Right," he saw in the corner of his eye Lulu spreading her hands out on the counter and taking deep breaths as she leaned on it, "Look I'm not saying Lucky is dead, but his partner is."

Lulu instantly looked up at him, she could feel the pit in her stomach getting worse as he talked.

"NYPD just identified his body, the bone fragments and the brain tissue found at the motel 8 match as well…"

"My son isn't dead Baldwin," Luke pointed his finger at him.

She listened as they bickered about what the evidence met and suddenly Lulu looked down at the ground holding her stomach, "I'm gonna be sick." She looked up at her father and at Scotty, "Well continue what you were saying, don't hold off on my account."

"Look I didn't see all the evidence they have, but Mac told me, that you might want to prepare yourself for the worst," he spoke slowly knowing these weren't the words they wanted to hear, not even him.

She looked up at him with tears that had been building up in her eyes finally revealing themselves, "Excuse me…"

"Lulu honey," Luke called after her, but she waved her hand back not wanting any of their help.

She ran out to the deck of the Haunted Star to get fresh air, but the smells of the ocean were so strong it only made it worse, "Oh god, no. You can't be dead." She leaned on the railing taking deep breaths, "We need you. I need you."

She took a deep breath wiping the tears from her eyes, but more seem to fall. Walking back into room she hid behind a wall to listen in on the rest of their conversation, but as he continued to explain the evidence she couldn't help but lash out at him.

"If he's dead why don't you just say so?"

"Gum drop are you okay?" Luke asked.

"I'm fine," she looked at Scotty waiting for an answer.

"Lulu I don't know everything, I just got back in town," he tried to defend himself, "Luke you'll have to see Mac or talk to Alexis for more information, I'm sorry."

"You're not sorry!" Lulu yelled, "You hate us, that's why you came down here to rub it in our face." She suddenly realized what she said, but before she could apologize Scotty was already trying to defend himself.

"No, that's not why I came," Scotty begged for her understanding, "I'd never wish this on anyone, please believe that."

"I know," Luke spoke placing his hand on his shoulder, "Thank you for telling me."

Scotty nodded, "I'm sorry." He apologized again, but knew that nothing was going to help him cope with this.

Luke watched as Scott walked away from the bar with his head down, "Baldwin?"

Scotty turned around to see if he could answer his question, "Do they have any idea who's responsible?"

Placing his hand up to his chin, that was actually the one thing he forget to mention, "No they don't, but…" He walked towards the stairs, "They found a calling card."

Luke was slightly surprised; he hadn't heard the use of calling cards for a long time, "A calling card?"

"Yeah and this is when it gets a little weird," he stopped as he put his foot on the first step, "Five officers were gunned down at the New York City Psychiatric Ward for the Criminally Insane." He walked up the next step, "The man that killed them," he stepped on the next step, "Saw Mr. Zacchara just before he," he stood at the top of the stairs, "Left the same calling card."

"Whoever was responsible, has no tolerance for cops," he turned away when Luke walked around the bar, "Scott."

"What was his name?" He saw Scotty's confused face, "I mean the man who visited Mr. Zacchara?"

"Something English, Spencer English I think, you'd really have to ask Mac," he frowned once again at the reason he had to see his nemesis.

"Thank you," Luke nodded with sadness and bitterness in his voice for he was already putting two and two together.

As soon as he left, Luke glanced at his daughter, regret filling in his gut as he looked around the place, "You happy now?" He didn't care if his anger was misplaced.

"Dad he's not dead, okay? Lucky is not dead, this is some…"

He knew what she was hinting, "No it's not, he's lost his own child he wouldn't lie about this because it's too painful the idea of losing a child," he stood there enraged by her face of disbelief.

"Your mother and I practically destroyed ourselves when we thought he died all those years ago, look at your aunt! Bobbie and Tony's relationship died after BJ was gone, you don't just make up the death of your own flesh and blood!" He put his hands on his heart, "You just don't!" He fumed with anger at how ignorant and naïve she was being.

"Okay, okay!" She shouted as she placed her hand on her stomach that felt nauseated, "Say that what Scotty said is true." He quickly looked up at her with eyes for her to believe that is the truth.

"I'm sorry," she walked to the counter needing stability for she began to feel her knees beginning to give out, "So what do we do?"

"I am going to find my son," he walked towards the bar; "While you are going to say goodbye to Johnny Zacchara" he picked up the phone and dialed Tracy's number, "Spanky buns I need you, I'm at the haunted Star."

She watched as he hung up the phone, "Johnny had nothing to do with this."

"Just like he had nothing to do with Michael getting shot? Damn it LULU!" He walked around the back of the bar, "Don't be stupid!"

His constant shouting at her made her jump and suddenly she felt light headed, "Lulu! Whether he did it or his bitch of a sister or crazy father…"

She knew his reasons were absurd, they were partners together and if he was involved in Michael's shooting there's no way a criminal would act twice within just a few days, "Why would he do it! Johnny knows if he killed Lucky it would be the end of us."

"Well I guess he saw you didn't mind him shooting a child," he looked at her knowing she was going to defend him for something that was obviously known throughout the community that he was responsible for.

She nodded in disbelief at his insult in her moral values, "Well…" She was more than just hurt as she wiped a tear that was about to run down her cheek, "I see we aren't going to see eye to eye on anything any more."

She grabbed her purse, "I will see Johnny and I will ask him if he knows anything about Lucky's disappearance, but I strongly believe that he would never hurt him just like he would never hurt a child because he knows that's exactly how to end his partnership with you, don't forget daddy he did invest in this place."

"You keep your friends close and your enemies closer Lulu," he lectured her once more, "He targeted me; he saw my weakness was my family, and like he did to Sonny, he took something away from me."

"So you and Sonny are going to work together now to kill Johnny and his entire family?"

"No, but I swear if he's responsible for what happened to Lucky, you will have to choose because I won't put up with this any longer, his family has destroyed too many people and I won't watch him destroy you the way finding my son is going to destroy me," he looked away from her to pour scotch into his glass obviously implying that this conversation was over.

"You know, you're not the only one hurting here," she said as she walked past him and up the stairs to leave the Haunted Star where she jumped into her car and made her way to the place that always brought peace to her mind.

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I know that was long, but intriguing right? LOL.

Next Chapter...A chance...A break up...A request...And a misunderstanding.

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to review! :D


	18. Yours Forever

Chapter 18: Yours Forever

**Author's Note:**

Hey guys sorry it took me so long to get an update but I had issues with my laptop, luckily I'm getting a new one in a few weeks, macbook pro, yippee. Anyway this chapter has got Jolu with Logan added to the mix. This sets up the next two chapters. Please continue to review, I really do love hearing the feed back and it might sound silly, but it's like the only thing I look forward to in my day, reviews and GH because it's the summer and I've got nothing better else to do before I leave for college. So a review is definitely appreciated. If you want spoilers I'll give them to you. So yeah enjoy!

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He sat on a bench leaning against the brick wall behind him that was the stair entrance to the glorious place that he found himself getting lost in as the sun was now setting over the river before him. Vista Point truly was one of Port Charles seven wonders of the town.

His eyes panned around the area that held a handful of memories close to his broken heart, the docks in front of him had been a place where they started and where they ended. They had their first date here, cooking hamburgers, roasting marshmallows, locking lips under the unexpected rain that led them to a tent where sparks flew between them.

_You have got to accept that Lulu will never love you!_

His father's words ripped through his heart tearing all the crucial arteries needed to sustain life, why was it so hard for him, his own father, the man whom had loved this girls mother, why was it so hard for him to believe that someday Lulu would return his affection.

Glancing down at the wooden dock he pouted at his lack of support from everyone that knew him, he no longer had Coop to back him up or tell him a lie even if he knew deep down that Lulu had moved on and his best friend needed to too.

His eyes caught a few round pebbles that ironically resembled the color of her eyes, he slightly laughed, "Great."

"Oh I'm sorry," Lulu thought the man she had stumbled across on down below from the top of the stairs, whom ever he was, was referring to her.

"No," he quickly said jerking his head around not knowing the woman's sad voice was that of his lover.

"Lulu," he softly said happy to see her.

"Sorry I'll leave," she didn't want this to be awkward seeing as the last time she saw him, he didn't take their 'break up' so well.

"No, you can stay," he turned away from her getting up from the bench walking out towards the edge of the docks.

"Okay," she smiled walking down the steps where she stopped, wondering if she walked towards him and stood by his side if he'd get angry.

He poured the pebbles into his left hand and then opened his hand where he took one of the dark pebbles with his right fingers and glanced up at the river. He rubbed his right thumb over the pebble at lost for words hearing the chirping of birds, the swooshing of water hitting up against the, the weeds in the wind.

"Logan?" She scarcely asked titling her head trying to catch a glimpse of his face to see why he appeared to be upset.

Quickly glancing at her with his finger over his mouth he shushed her. She became intrigued by the smile forming along his mouth wondering what exactly was going on. He looked away from her listening to the calming sounds of the wild, but also her footsteps that traveled close. Standing next to him, her arms hung down to her waist where her hands clung onto her purse and she glanced at him to see the smile gone from his sweet face.

Slightly shifting her body to the left she whispered, "What are we listening to?"

He slowly looked at her with no emotion on his face at least not any sign of content, "Nothing."

She slowly nodded while tucking her bottom lip over the top seeing discomfort, but more over a sense of loss in his face. She silently sighed before following his gaze to see perhaps the most beautiful thing, the most calming thing she had seen since everything that had happened earlier. They stood there for minutes on end staring out that the sun that was setting in between a set of white cotton clouds with colors of the rainbow blossoming out.

His right palm grew clammy as the pebble that was once cold became as warm as his heart, now that she had appeared. He looked at the few lily pads to make sure that if his aim wasn't perfect he wouldn't smack a frog and when he was done scoping out the area he glanced down at his hand, the blue pebble that no longer seemed to appear a dull blue and threw it. He watched it skip a few times, but not as well as the second or the third that followed after. He didn't care if his silence made her feel awkward. He didn't care if his behavior raised an eyebrow. He didn't care about anything in that moment, he felt numb and he hoped, if there was anything left in him to hope for, anything genuine, that she'd be able to see how lost he truly was.

Sliding his empty hands into his blue jean pockets he continued to dwell his sorrows in the river, "Do you ever feel Lulu; do you ever feel like no matter what you do, it's never enough?" He glanced at her waiting for a reply but she was too nervous thinking this question was in regards to their relationship, "Lulu, I'm not talking about us."

She looked at him slightly concerned by the way he talked about them in an annoying hatred, "I guess, I mean yeah, all the time."

"Today," he looked away from her, "My father told me he could no longer care about me." He let loose of his shoulders taking a deep breath.

"What? I thought you and Scotty were getting along," she was quite surprised seeing as just a few hours ago when she mentioned his name, he didn't express a negative emotion at all about him.

He nodded, "Guess not." He took one last glance at water front before slowly turning away from her to the depressingly lonely bench.

She turned to watch him slowly fall to the bench where he rested his elbows on his legs and placed his hands over his mouth where he slowly closed his eyes, "I've made decisions that he doesn't approve of."

"What kind of decisions?" She asked as she crept towards him.

"Life changing decisions," he said with his eyes still closed trying to concentrate on something other then her presence, but it became all to much of a challenge when he felt her touch.

He opened his eyes confused as to why she was touching his hand, but listened to what she was about to say, "Logan?" She smiled faintly, "These decisions, they wouldn't have anything to do with me would they?"

"Forget it Lulu," he looked away from her with his brows still wrinkled in amazement that she thought he was so pathetic as to let their break up control everything he do in the aftermath. Even if most of the decisions he was making where about her, there was a part of him that really wanted the power and the money. Even the possibility of death was appealing because he was finally getting back some of the excitement he always held on a mission in Iraq, the adrenaline was something else, something he only felt _in_ war as in the Iraq war and in the war here in Port Charles.

He got up from the bench huffing in how such a peaceful moment between them standing at the edge of the docks was ruined. He should have kept his mouth shut, but instead he vented to her mistakenly thinking that two people could talk without making everything about them.

Standing in the middle of the docks he turned to her, "Do you really think I like you so much as to put myself in the line of fire for _you_? The girl that cheated on me for the better half of our relationship with my worst enemy?"

"Oh no, Logan," she got up from the bench, "Don't you dare bring this on me." She couldn't believe she fell for his innocent act of his.

"Oh of course not right? Because I made a bet…" He threw his hands in the air before slapping them on his legs, looking away from her almost not wanting to ignore her speech.

She walked towards him pointing her finger at him, "And because you made that bet, I found someone else, someone who would never jerk me around the way you did."

"Oh yeah cause Johnny is sooo great!" He laughed, "Let me ask Lulu, how does it feel always being second place to the mob? Huh?"

She crossed her arms looking away from him not wanting to hear his words either, "At least I was willing to throw away my family to have you, can you honestly say Johnny would ever give up anything he's entitled to for you?"

She huffed with a snort knowing Johnny was half the man Logan would ever be as Logan continued to mouth of more insults at her relationship with the mobster, "As much as he's said he likes you and wants to be with you, the key word is _want_, you say I jerk you around?" He walked towards her as he saw her try to focus on the horizon.

Trying to look her in the face to tell her the truth he couldn't because as usual she purposely let her long blonde hair dangle in front of it to shield the one, two or three tears coming from her eyes, "That was one time Lulu! I jerked you around once before I ever knew the real you," he slid his hands back into his pocket leaning towards the side of her body, "So yeah I made a mistake, I made that stupid bet with Maxie, but..."

"But what?" She turned to him having thought about a rebuttal to his argument for the past minute that he had been talking garbage, "You want to know the truth Logan?" She looked at him wanting to be completely honest so that this thorn that kept pricking her would go away for good.

"I never really forgave you for what you did." She turned her back to him walking in the opposite direction of the bench they just sitting at, "I mean sure I tried to get past it, I tried." She stopped to in tracks, turning around to face him, "But you have to understand that you broke my heart which I may add was already bruised."

She stood ten feet away from him not caring if she hurt his feelings anymore, she had tried to be nice last time and even nice this time upon stumbling on him, but the way he manipulated her was just proof that he really was like his father which she thought she'd never say.

Pointing her finger to herself he looked at him with tension building up in her voice, "My father disowned me for wanting to date a Baldwin, but I swore to him," she joked, "I swore to him up and down that you weren't like Scotty, whom he hates."

Slowly walking towards him as she listed one thing after another that gave up to be with him, she mentioned Spinelli, "I got rid of my best friend for you, I will never get back what I had with him, he will never forgive me. I gave him up and for what?" She yelled with a few tears getting caught in her throat.

Stopping right in front of him she slapped him, "I sacrificed everything to be with you! My heart, my father, my best friend, all for you and you played me." She clenched her jaw together hating him in this moment as her relationship with him finally became clearer to her as the biggest mistake she ever made.

The burn he felt on his face had woken up a bit, but never the less still made him desperately seek for her forgiveness in the weak whining of his voice, "I know I did." He tried to touch her to possibly comfort her, but she pushed him away, "Don't touch me." She looked at him with disgust.

She pointed her finger at him, "You didn't lose me to Johnny." She paused for a second taking a deep breath for all the commotion and yelling she had cause had made her slightly light headed. Her hand that held her purse she had moved to her hip while she gently placed her hand which she had been using on and off to point her finger at him, she place on her forehead closing her eyes waiting for the tears that were caught in her throat to subside.

"Johnny was an accident," she opened her eyes as her hand gently scanned down the rest of her face; "I wasn't even looking for him that night, but some how he found me."

She saw the displeasure in his face not wanting to think about how they met, how he led her into the arms of another man, "Logan," she said softly, "In that moment he picked me up in his car I forgot about you and all the trouble you caused me. I moved on." She didn't know why all of the sudden her anger towards him had lightened up, but with the way she was feeling she knew she needed to leave.

She frowned at his face looking for an understanding in everything she just said, but then she realized, she didn't need him to understand, she didn't need his permission, "I'm sorry Logan."

As she walked away he some how caught her hand, "Wait."

"No," she said in agony that he was still holding onto her.

"Lulu," he glanced away from their hands.

"No Logan," she let go of his hand, "You didn't lose me to Johnny, you lost me to Maxie."

He stood there watching their hands drift back towards each other as she began to explain how he truly lost her as if the past five minutes wasn't enough, "I told you she was trouble. I think even Cooper told you she was trouble and you slept with her anyway Logan!" She raised her voice almost yelling at him still obviously upset at the fact that he did get involved with her, but more over was just disappointed in his actions.

"I'm tired of you putting blame on me, I'm tired of it, of us, of everything with our families, I want it to be over," her voice sighed with exhaustion.

"Don't you dare blame me for anything that went wrong between us or why you're life suddenly sucks without me because like it or not Maxie led you here, not me," she had no idea if what she was saying was making any sense to him because his face held no emotion anymore, it was as if he wanted her to finish what she was saying and leave so he could spend the rest of his time being miserable.

"She's the reason why you and I will never work," she backed away to the staircase where she turned her back to him and put her hand on the wooden railing walking up the steps, "Why you and I can't be friends."

Walking up the last steps she turned to him, "Why…" She stood at the top of the stairs now, "Why I'll never love you."

"You say that now," he desperately looked at her knowing it couldn't possibly be true.

"No," softly said with a little bit of annoyance, "I say that forever, I will never love you." She looked at him once more with more than just a frown forming in her lips, but eyes that were no longer approving, "Never."

He glanced down at the wooden docks with his hands on his hips tears building up in his eyes, did this really just happen? He asked himself, but disregarded what he just thought knowing if he could just say one last thing to her, it would convince her to stay with him, "Lulu." He looked up, but she was gone.

She walked up the trail back to her car hearing him throw a tantrum, shout and even the rumblings of objects flying around. She removed her keys from her pockets and walked to her car where she open the car door and locked it realizing that going to Vista Point was no longer the place to go to in hopes of relieving stress. Nope. If she really wanted to relieve her mind of Johnny she needed to see him and an hour and a half later she walked along the corridor with Desmond listening to the sounds of their song that still took her breath away.

He glanced at her as they made their way to the study and he saw the sadness in her face, it made the old man's heart break, "Ms. Spencer." He quietly said to her as they came to the end of the corridor, "Don't worry."

He saw a tear run down her face as she nodded with a smile trying to seem hopeful, but was just the opposite, "Oh my dear, no need for that." He removed his handkerchief, "Everything will work out between you and Mr. Zacchara." He gave her the handkerchief, "Now you wipe away those tears while I tell Johnny, his favorite lady, is here." He formed a bright smile as she began to wipe away her troubles, "That a girl."

He turned away from her to place his hands on the two doors where he opened them with smiles, "Johnny."

Johnny looked up from the piano smiling, "Hey Desmond."

Desmond put his left fingers behind his ears pretending he couldn't hear, "Of course Desmond." Johnny softly finished the song, "Is that better?" He smiled now that the room was quiet.

"For now," he graciously smiled as he walked towards the center of the room happy to see that Johnny was back to his old self compared to his state of mind this morning, "You know what you need?" Desmond placed his right hand on his chin expressing a fake thought.

Johnny loved it when Desmond pretended to be some kind of mime, "What?" He crossed his arms waiting to be amused, "What do I need?"

"Well," he walked over to the edge of the couch, taking a seat and then putting his hands together, "I think Master…"

Johnny quickly interrupted, "Desmond how many times do I have to tell you?" He got up from the piano to meet his butler at the couch, "Don't call me Master, you are like a father to me." He patted his hand on Desmond's back, "And I want to thank you again for this morning and not telling Claudia about what happened in the bathroom."

"No problem," he grinned, "Sometimes we all lose our minds when the one person we need isn't there to help us through it," he looked away from Johnny's peculiar stare to the doorway, "Ms. Spencer…"

Lulu took a deep breath before tucking the handkerchief in her pocket. Nervous about her complexion, she took one last look at a mirror coincidentally located right outside the room near a small dresser.

"Desmond," Johnny spoke with a little tension as his mentor glanced back at him with of course of joke up his sleeve because that was the only way Johnny would be able to accept the current situation.

"You know what Johnny, I had no choice in the matter, I saw her blue eyes and she had me on the floor," he got up from the couch placing his hand on Johnny's shoulder before softly speaking, "You know you want to see her."

Johnny looked at him skeptical, but changed his mind when Desmond glared at him insisting he needed to see her, "Do it for me."

"Alright," he sighed looking away from Desmond not wanting to show a smile forming in the corner of his mouth.

"Good boy," he dug his hand into Johnny's shoulder, "I'll be sure to tell the cook you get your milk and cookies tonight."

Johnny tried to keep a straight face, but Desmond's willingness to see his glowing face only made it harder for him and soon enough Johnny burst out laughing.

"Aw ha!" Desmond smirked, "You can't fool me." Desmond joked again as the two enjoyed a rare light hearted moment until she walked in.

"Oh I'll wait back outside," she realized she had interrupted a close moment between the two.

"Nah its okay, Lulu," Johnny laughed at Desmond who became the mime again with his back to Lulu, he had pointed to his mouth that was a frown one second and a smile another.

He turned to Lulu after he was done with he and Johnny's inside joke and stood poised, "Always a pleasure my darling," he took her hand and kissed it.

"Why thank you," she glanced at Johnny who didn't have an answer for Desmond's over politeness.

"Um thank you Desmond," Johnny looked at him to get along.

"I get it," he gently let go of her hand and walked to the doorway where he grabbed hold of both door knobs and closed the doors behind him.

Lulu looked away from the doors as they shut, "Always a gentlemen that Desmond fellow." She grinned as she looked back at him, so very happy to see him, so very happy that he was happy to see her, "How've you been?"

He forgot how much seeing her face not only made him glow or made his cheeks red, but just made him happy, "Good."

He walked towards her, "And you?"

"In this moment better than ever," she smiled placing her arms around his neck as he embraced her with his arms around her waist.

"I've missed you," she silently cried realizing how much she in that minute, how much she needed him.

He leaned out of the hug slightly alarmed by her tears, "Lulu?" He wiped her tears that were running down her cheeks.

"Is it Michael?" He sincerely looked at her still not aware of the fact that the child had been diagnosed to be in a permanent coma for the rest of his life.

"I know you weren't responsible for Michael, what happened to Michael is a tragedy," she slowly nodded with her eyes half opened thinking of what Carly must be doing right now, willing Michael to wake up.

"You mean he's not doing better?" He looked at her confused, but disappointed at the same time.

She looked at him taking one step back thinking they were both on the same page, but obviously not, "No…Johnny I thought you knew."

"What? What is it?" He asked terribly alerted now that something worse then death had occurred.

"He's in a coma, a permanent coma, he's never going to wake up again," it almost broke her heart to tell her for a little voice inside of her almost knew that he was some how connected to Michael's shooting.

He devastatingly looked away from her, this changed everything now. His sudden mood that made him believe they could do anything was now lost, perhaps forever.

He turned his back to her wiping his right hand through the tips his dark brown hair while he placed his left hand over his mouth, "Is he suffering?" He choked on his words.

"I mean," he turned around wiping his right hand through his hair again only this time he grabbed hold of the roots while the hand over his mouth slid down to his hip and he mumbled, "Is he in any pain?" He looked up at her with tears glistening in his eyes.

"No, no," she slowly walked towards him wanting to place her hands on his cheeks and tell him that it wasn't his fault, that it was an accident.

"Lulu," he looked away from her as she touched his cheeks.

"Hey," she placed her hands on his cheeks bring his attention to her, "Hey, it was an accident."

"An accident," he put his hands over hers, "that should have never happened." He roughly through her hands off his cheeks and backed away from her.

"It should have never happened Lulu!" He raised his voice as he made his way closer to the piano.

"You're right," she raised her voice, "It shouldn't have happened!" She yelled walking towards him, "But it did and now we all have to deal with the consequences."

She saw him trying to walk behind the piano, "Stop. You are not gonna hide behind that piano!"

"I'm not hiding," he stood behind the piano.

She rushed to the front of the piano, "You can't play your feelings away!"

"Watch me!" He sat down on the bench.

She walked around the side placing her hand on the latchet, "You don't have to bury the guilt alone!"

"Yes I do!" He shouted.

"Why?" She yelled back, "Why? Why can't we get through this together!"

"Because he's in there because of US!" He sprung up, "Because of you and I!"

She looked at him confused, "Carly, Sonny and…Jason are his parents."

"Yes, Carly, Sonny and Jason, are to blame for the environment he grew up in, but WE, you," he pointed away from her, "And I are to blame for this entire mess!" He yelled.

"What are you talking about?" She had a sliver of an idea of where he was going with this, but didn't want to lead on that she knew what he was suggesting, "We didn't do anything."

"We met each other!" He looked at her knowing it must have run through her mind at least once.

"No," she instantly said, "Don't you do that."

"I have to!" He walked around the piano in the opposite direction as Lulu, "If we had never met, if I had never picked you up in my car, my father would have never come to Port Charles."

"He would have never tried to kill you at your brother's ball; he wouldn't have distracted the guests and created a panic that distracted everyone from the real killer. Your brother's fiancée might be alive today!"

"Key word Johnny, _might_!" She walked around the front of the piano where he stood, "She might be alive, but I might have died! Diego might have decided to go after me and you saved me."

He nodded in disagreement and began listing the people that would have saved her, "Logan, Spinelli, your brothers, your father…Lulu! Your father wouldn't have had that heart attack that almost killed him!"

"Yeah and then he would have left me and my brother's and Tracy again while continuing to kill himself," she sarcastically noted, "Johnny stop trying to prove…"

"I would have never had to take over the business, I would have been free, Lulu, I would have been free," he could have gone years without love, he would have hated it, but at least his heart wouldn't be aching.

"Is that right?" She laughed in disbelief, "You would have been free?" She stopped in front of him, "Because I remember you telling me every chance you could that you were trapped! That I was your escape."

"That was until you got kidnapped!" He shouted, "That was until my enemies took you to get me to cooperate and claim my birth right."

"Oh so now I'm the reason you're a mob boss," she looked away in complete shock over this entire conversation.

Placing her hand on her forehead, her eyes glanced up at his, "Lulu that's not what I meant I…" He motioned to touch her, but she pulled back, "Well what did you mean Johnny? Huh?"

She moved her hand away from her forehead, "You and I both know that if you really wanted to, you could have walked away. You had the perfect chance when your father was sent away and instead you let Trevor force you into this…oh, but wait…" She grinned, "You told me once a very long time ago that no one forces you into anything…so which is it Johnny?"

He was silent as he stared at the ground, refusing to look up at her, "I don't regret working with Logan and Spinelli to save your life," he glanced up at her putting his hands on his hips.

She motioned to touch his cheek, but he gently stopped her, "But what I do regret, what I will always regret is the fact that our relationship has made us at odds with everyone around us…"

"No stop saying that," she placed her hands on his cheeks, "You and I are…"

"Are enemies," he frowned.

"No, never John," she nodded in disagreement pulling him into a kiss that he didn't want.

When he didn't kiss her back she looked at him hurt, he was serious, "Johnny?"

He removed her hands from his cheeks, "I am a Zacchara. You are a Spencer, a Corinthos, a Morgan…You will eventually have to choose. It might not be today, it might not be tomorrow, but soon, you will."

In a panic voice feeling as if any second she'd lose him, she placed her hands on his cheeks again, "I know you're scared about Michael, but I'll protect you, I'll tell Carly, Jason, I'll…"

"Too much has happened Lulu, things have happened because we met, because we became friends, because we became more…" He caught her sparkling blue eyes with tears in them glancing away from her.

"Lu," he cupped her cheek bringing her focus back to him, "People used you to control me, they did things to make Sonny and Jason think I was the enemy, there is no going back, no convincing them, there will never be a 'truths'."

Her face scrunched up as tears bulleted down her face, "But…"

"It was always forbidden," he slowly said wishing that it wasn't true, that two sides could come together over love.

He removed his cupped hand from her cheek, letting the soft moment be lost with the rest of tonight's bittersweet endings, "…And now, with what's happened, not just with Michael, but the Canary explosion, with the way Sonny was so quick to judge that I would shoot the woman he loves or kidnap Michael, Lulu a war is brewing," his eyes looked at her insisting it was inevitable.

She stood their nodding her head in disagreement while her tears got caught up in her throat, "There doesn't have to be a war!"

"Yes their does," he persisted, "A side has to fall, someone will die," he regretfully admitted hoping it wouldn't be him.

She clenched her jaw, the idea of either side, she rolled her eyes, the possibility he could die, she wiped her tears, a war that could kill everyone she cared about, physically and mentally.

"And it won't be me, Lulu," his hands touched her shoulders, "It won't be me which means if Sonny or Jason or whoever else comes after me, I will shoot, someone will die and you will hate who ever is left."

"No, I won't," she pleaded before turning her back to him saying in a lost cause, "I just…"

"You will, you will hate me for it just like you would hate Sonny or Jason or anyone on your side if something happened to me," he gently put his hands on her shoulders again.

She folded her hands onto her face as she felt him rubbing her shoulders, massaging them, she whimpered even more while he thought maybe for a second he was helping her deal with what they knew they'd always come to.

He leaned in over her shoulder whispering into her ear, "We have to end it…for good."

She quickly turned to him placing her hands on his chest, "No…"

"Yes, it ends here, it ends tonight, it ends forever." His calming voice became more serious.

"Johnny no," she softly whined with a deep hollow emptiness in her voice, "Please don't leave me."

"I'm not leaving you, god knows I wish things could be different, but…"

A frustration came over her and she pushed him away, "Things can be different." She backed away from him, "Don't you put blame on making this decision to end us…don't you put it on others or what's happened in the past couple of months. If you are going to end this, be a man about it."

"Lulu I don't want you leave with us yelling at each other." He didn't want to let go of her hand, but she graciously let his slip out of hers like it was easy to do, "Well it's too late."

He looked at her like it wasn't; they could sit for a while remembering the year they spent together, but instead she looked at him like he had to be a fool to think she'd want to do that.

She had wandered to the center of the room now while he still stood at the front of the piano wanting peace between them, but she was all too frustrated and hurt to simply walk away without shredding a single feeling.

With her back to him she continued to cry, "Lulu please don't cry." He motioned towards her when she quickly turned around, her face full of tears, "You are asking me to say goodbye to the man I love!"

His eyes widened, _love?_

"Yeah Johnny, I think I love you," she frowned with a slight smile because his reaction said the same thing, it said that maybe he loved her too, "I don't know when it began, but I know it now."

He wanted to say something, but she interrupted, "So partum me if I don't feel like wanting to remember the year we spent together in a sweet goodbye kiss because you are breaking my heart! My heart that I told you I was afraid of opening up, my heart that I told you had already been broken time and time before, my heart that knows you are going to regret this as soon as I walk out of that door."

"I'm sorry," he walked towards her wanting to apologize for how difficult this was.

"Don't," she put her hand up not wanting him to come any closer, "You don't know the meaning of those words."

She saw him wanting to say something, but she decided she didn't want to hear it, "No, don't stand here and tell me that maybe you love me too because the truth is, if you cared anything at all for me, you wouldn't be ending us, you'd be letting us fight everyone together, us against the world, we did it for a year, I think we could have done it for a lifetime."

He watched her walk to the doors, "Lulu."

She stopped right in front of them with her hands almost grasping the door knobs as she waited for him to stop her, but all he said was, "You'll always have my heart…" He began to walk towards her.

"Wherever I go, whomever I meet, whenever I die, know…" He put his hands on her shoulders moving his lips to her ear, whispering, "I'm yours forever."

The tears from her eyes continued to fall like they could run down her soft cheeks for eternity, _why did he have to be like this_, she rolled her eyes, _why did this have to be so hard_.

He gulped, "And I know Lulu," he slowly closed his eyes, "I know this is hard, probably the hardest thing you'll ever do, but please believe me when I say I do love you, I love you more than I ever thought possible." He put his arms around her waist and she closed her eyes imagining a place where the two of them could be free.

A tear raced down his cheek colliding with her tears, "So please…" He said weakly with his eyes closing again, "Wherever you go, whomever you meet and marry and have beautiful babies with," he felt her hands gently touch his, "Please Lulu, don't think of me, don't think of the what-if, don't wonder if I'm happy…"

He paused, gulping his tears that formed as a result of his heart ripping in two, "Because I'm happy knowing that I can have you in my dreams," he tenderly kissed her cheek before faintly whispering, "Yours forever, yours forever."

Her eyes still dreaming of their magical place where everything was simple, where the mob didn't exist, where crazy in laws got along, where they had a house, a family, a life with each other, she felt his head leaned against the side of her cheek where she heard him say, "Goodbye Lulu."

She removed her hand from his that were still on her stomach and placed it on his lonely cheek bear cheek. With her eyes still engulfed in the future they'd never have, she whispered, "There's no goodbye, only love." Her lips met his and they shared one final kiss to end the flame that sparked a love they wouldn't find anywhere else.

* * *

Don't forget to review! Thanks for reading!


	19. Mr Brightside

Chapter 19: Mr. Brightside

**Author's Note:**

Hey guys! Just to let you know this chapter is violent, so reader discretion advised. I don't want to give away what exactly it is, but you should know far enough into the chapter where the scene is leading up to. If it's too much for you to read you can write me and we can discuss it. I did research in writing these particular scenes, I did my best to write them accordingly and if I didn't I apologize in advance it was hard trying to capture such an idea. The chapter in part has lyrics from Mr. Brightside by the Killers; they're in italics and represent thoughts of the characters. This is a sad chapter, starts off on a good note, but not so much at the end. Please continue reading after this, their will be good spixie scenes afterwards. Don't forget to review, thank you.

* * *

He was upstairs in his regrettably pink room trying on his new suit that Milo insisted was perfect for the occasion. He looked in the bathroom mirror tying his dark blue tie that complemented his light sky blue dress shirt, blue twill as Milo would correct him for everything Spinelli had on this evening was Italian, Giambetti style.

"Looking good Mr. Jackal," he smiled, he preferred that name much more than Damien which is what Milo suggested he go by now, it sounded more professional almost espionage to him, but to Spinelli it sounded weird, "Eh…Old habits die hard."

He placed his tie neatly on the front of his shirt, satisfied with it and then walked from the bathroom to put on his dark navy blue jacket to the suit that cost him way too much, but because he was a good friend of Jasper Jacks and Carly Corinthos everything at the Metro Court came free.

Hearing a loud knock from down stairs he motioned away from the bathroom to the doorway when he heard Milo's voice, "I'll get it."

"Thanks!" Spinelli shouted back making his way back to the bathroom when suddenly he stopped, thinking that it was Jason.

Milo walked to the door, "Jase…" He opened the door to see a brunette.

"You're not Jason," Milo looked puzzled as to why Sam was at Jason's Penthouse.

"Where's Spinelli?" She asked walking straight into the penthouse.

"Upstairs," Milo closed the door, "Is there something I can help you with instead?" He walked towards her before glancing up at the stairs, "Spinelli's kind of preoccupied at the moment."

"Oh that's right," she suddenly remembered that Maxie was going to ask him on a date, "He's got a big date and all."

"How'd you know?" Milo asked as he slid his hands into his pockets.

"Maxie came to me earlier, I wond…" She paused wondering if that's why Maxie looked so off beat when she saw her earlier, _did she know about Lucky?_

"Anyway…" She crossed her arms turning her head towards him when she saw a gentlemen standing at the top of the stairs.

"Aw sweet Samantha," Spinelli slid his hands into his pockets before graciously walking down stairs.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" He smiled as he embraced her kissing her cheek, "Have you decided to take us up on our offer?"

"Well," she was still a little speechless that Spinelli knew to embrace her let alone kiss her cheek. If she didn't know any better she'd say Milo was little by little teaching him to be the next Jasper Jacks.

"Yes, I will take you guys up on your offer," she clapped her hands together, "But that's for another time." She put her hands on Spinelli's shoulders and set him in a spot, "Stay there." She took a few steps back.

"You're missing something," she couldn't put her finger on it, "You look great, the light blue definitely looks great with the dark blue…but…" Her eyes wandered to the bear empty flat pocket on the front, "Ah ha!" She said loudly making Spinelli jump.

"Sorry Spin," she walked towards him, "but you need a little blue in here…" She stuck her fingers in the pocket.

"Oh we got one of those, didn't we Milo?" He looked at him.

"Right we did," Milo removed it from his pocket.

"Decided to be Mr. Magician today did you?" Spinelli teased.

"Oh please Spinelli, you did all the magic on your own," he handed Sam the light sky blue handkerchief.

"Perfect," she finished tucking it to perfection before looking up at his hair.

"Spin did you get a hair cut?" She asked as she fixed a few strands around.

"Yes I did," he smiled proudly.

"Well it looks quite nice, definite improvement from before," she grinned, "You are going to win her over tonight."

Spinelli nervously smiled, "I don't know Fair Samantha. The jackal doesn't have much to offer."

She playfully touched his shoulder, "Well not with that attitude!"

"Spinelli we talked about this," he crossed his arms, "All you have to do is be yourself."

"He's right," she smiled raising her hand to his cheek, "And if sparks don't fly, hey at least you tried," she squeezed his cheek.

Spinelli brightly smiled, "Aw thank you two. I only wish Stone Cold could see me like this, but…"

Suddenly the door opened and Jason quickly leaned back on the door with his eyes wide and alerted at the three odd people in his house, including Spinelli, "What in the world…"

Spinelli leaned over to Milo whispering, "I thought you said you'd take care of Stone cold."

"Well eer, got to go Spin," Milo gently patted him on the back.

"Um she and I were just leaving," Milo grabbed Sam, "Right, Jase...Jason it…" She paused being pulled out the door, "Good luck Spin!" She waved.

The door closed and Sam turned to Milo, "That was awkward."

"No kidding," he looked at her as he pushed the elevator button, "Listen I have a feeling you wanted to say more about why you suddenly took the job."

"Yeah about that," the doors opened and they walked in, "I really need a drink."

"Jakes?" Milo was one step ahead of her.

"Yeah." She sighed hating that she was about to get drunk over Lucky's supposed "death" or "disappearance" whatever the police called it.

Jason looked away from the door and looked at Spinelli, "First get out of that suit, we have work to do and second what the heck was she talking about?"

"Um," Spinelli toyed with his hands, "It kind of has to do with the first thing…" He formed a nervous smile in the corner of his mouth.

"Which is…" Jason lingered as he took his jacket off.

"Um well see the Jackal has an engagement with the blonde one tonight?"

"You're engaged to whom?" He obviously didn't get a word of what Spinelli just rambled about.

"No…" Spinelli laughed, "Um…" He pointed at Jason, like that was a good joke, "I have a _date _tonight with Maximista."

"Oh," Jason began to smile, "Well forget about what I was saying, go on your date."

"Are you sure?" He walked towards Jason, "Cause if you need to talk…" He put his hand on Jason's shoulder.

"What did I say about touching me?" He spoke seriously at first before turning his head to Spinelli, "I'm just kidding."

Spinelli's frightful face turned into a smile, "Oh."

Jason grabbed his wallet and handed him a few twenties, "Go on get out of here."

Spinelli's face lit up, "Thank you Stone-Cold!" He put the money in his pocket before pulling him into a hug.

"Hug me like that again and you won't be thanking me," Jason looked down at him who still had his arms around him.

"Oh," Spinelli pulled away, but with smiles, "Right." He backed away from Jason, "Okay well don't wait up for me," Spinelli chuckled.

"I won't be," Jason looked at him with a straight face which slightly offended Spinelli, "You mean you won't be worried about the grass hopper embarking on his quest for love?"

"No, I mean I won't be home. I just came to get something and then I'll be gone, but I hope you find-your-quest or whatever for love a success," Jason paused for a second wondering where exactly that bit of English he spoke came from, "I've got to…" Jason slowly closed his eyes while drifting back to the kitchen.

"Alright," Spinelli watched him turn the corner, "bye…" He said faintly turning to the door.

"Oh and…" Jason came back around the corner a few seconds later.

"Yeah?" Spinelli's face lit up.

"I like that suit! That's a good suit on you." Jason formed a huge smile on his face, "Glad to see you lost the beanie this time," Jason grinned remembering how ridiculous he looked at Elizabeth's wedding to Lucky.

Spinelli goofily laughed, "Yeah guess it was about time I grew out of it."

"I'll say," Jason laughed as he stood there with hands on his hips, at lost for words, "You want to take the car?"

"The mob mobile!" Spinelli jumped in excitement, "Yeah!"

Jason laughed as he walked back over to the desk and pulled the drawer with the keys in, "Here." He slowly placed the keys in Spinelli's hand, "Ah..." He pulled the keys away from Spinelli's eager hands to grab them, "Have fun tonight."

"Thanks dad," Spinelli joked, but Jason was not at all amused, "Um no, Stone Cold thank you."

"Okay, thank you Stone Cold," Spinelli smiled again hoping he was worthy of the keys.

"Your welcome, drive safely," he put the keys in his hand.

Spinelli tried to keep in his excitement, "I better go."

"Yeah, bye Spinelli," Jason smiled.

"Bye Stone Cold," Spinelli happily danced out of Jason's penthouse leaving Jason speechless in the doorway, "Oy vey." He pressed his hand on his forehead hoping Spinelli wouldn't get his heart broken tonight.

* * *

She paced through Kelly's in a white silky like blouse and a stylish blue skirt with an assortment of dinnerware in her hands while mumbling how exactly she was going to tell Spinelli how she felt about him, "Spinelli…" She set a plate on her side of the table next the napkin with the silverware on it, "You want to know a secret…" She turned to what would be his side of the table and placed the other plate next to the napkin with the silverware on it, "You're the sweetest guy I've ever met."

She paused for a minute, the statement was obviously true, but something about it just sounded weird and then it dawned on her, "Nope you are not quoting 13 going on 30," she laughed at herself.

Moving to her chair, she looked into the box of Sam's things and saw a few different types of candles, "Let's start again." She programmed herself to try to find a better way of saying how she felt without quoting every single line from a romantic comedy.

Sam had thrown in tall white candles, but after experimenting with those earlier she realized that smaller candles would be better, less dramatic and serious for this wasn't some grand dinner, it was just two people getting together to discuss what might be a possible future.

Looking through the assortment of candles in the box, one finally caught her eye, "Perfect." She removed a small red candle_, red heart love_…she smiled. Even though she wasn't in love with Spinelli she did like him otherwise she wouldn't be going to the trouble of trying to make tonight special.

Placing it in the center next to two small glasses of short stemmed red roses to match the pink napkins, she removed the matches from her pocket and scratched the match along the back to see a bright, but small flame appear in front of her.

She lit the candle and then blew out the match and then walked over to the sink to wet the match down just to make sure when she threw it away it wouldn't catch anything on fire. That was the last thing she needed, him springing up from his chair shouting fire of the apocalypse during her confession that she actually enjoyed their friendship much more then she ever thought she would.

Throwing the match in the trash she laughed at the idea of Spinelli flailing his arms around in panic as a fire sucked in the place; "Ha." She grinned placing the matches back in one of the cabinets.

Looking back at the table she tried to think of what else was missing, "Right..." She walked to the box that was still sitting on the chair and removed the wine glasses that she didn't have wine for, but had something better instead.

It was different with Spinelli she told herself. Spinelli was the first guy she had befriended besides Dillon whom she had to like because Georgie was in love with him, but Spinelli was the first guy she hadn't slept with upon first meeting him. Her relationship with him was the first relationship in which everything wasn't about sex, it had been about Georgie, for the greater good in finding the text message killer, neither one of them expected anything more then just closure for the person they lost and loved so deeply.

Opening the fridge door she grabbed the cold bottle of orange soda when she heard the chime of the door, "Spinelli wait!" She quickly turned to the front, "Oh never mind it's you." She looked in annoyance at Logan Hayes standing in front of the doors.

"Well hey Maxie," he grinned as he scanned her outfit which looked pleasing to him, but before he could give in to his temptation of her he retraced their conversation to the beginning where she mentioned the geek, "This is all for Spinelli?" He tried to keep a straight face.

She slammed the refrigerator door with the bottle in her hand rolling her eyes before turning to him, "I guess you didn't read the sign or maybe you just couldn't read it…"

He huffed not at all amused, "That's funny, but it's not nearly as funny as you creating what looks like to me as a _date_ for the town loser."

"Aw, Logan this wasn't set up for you," she joked again as she came the edge of the counter setting the bottle on it.

He ignored her petty comment attempting to walk towards her when she stopped him, "Ah don't."

"Let me just grab something from the back," he insisted, but she interrupted.

"And let you steel from Mike? No." She walked to the table grabbing the glasses, "Logan don't you have anything better else to do." She sighed.

"No," he crossed his arms, "No you pretty much made sure of that."

She wanted to roll over the floor laughing, "Oh poor Lulu finally told you to hit the road," she sarcastically whined before wiping the grin off her face seeing his hurt face, "Oh my god Logan do you have a hearing disability too? Because I think she told you to get lost like fifty times already so why is this just news to you?"

He walked towards her with his arms still crossed and slowly shrugging his shoulders, "It's not. I always knew in the back of my head that she and I would probably never get back together."

She placed her glass of orange soda on the table before turning to Logan and playfully hitting his shoulder, "It's that darn feud." She turned away from him grabbing the other glass, "It was that darn Spencer-Baldwin feud of the century that did you two in."

She sarcastically frowned, turning away from him when he caught her hand, "No it wasn't."

He was only like this with her once, well twice, the first time Cooper had been there to save her from his wrath, the second Georgie had been there to push him away before he lost it, but now it was just them, "Spinelli is going to be here any minute now Logan."

"Oh I'm scared," he laughed, "No one can save you now darling." He squeezed tighter.

"Ow Logan you're hurting me." She used her other hand with the glass in it to help loosen his grip, but it didn't work.

He took the glass from her hand and placed it on the table before placing his hand roughly against the side of her upper arm, "You know that curse that you speak of," he laughed before getting serious to the point where as he leaned in his eyes alerted her that he wasn't playing games anymore, "It didn't apply to me until I met you err well until you were jealous that I was falling so head over heals for Lulu that I no longer wanted you," he pushed his teeth together squeezing both his hands on the sides of her shoulders now.

"Logan that was a long time ago, come on let go," she tried to push him away.

"No it wasn't, look at me!" He spoke with wrath building up in his voice.

"Logan that was last summer," she whined, "You two got back together, you lost her on your own this time," she glanced away from him as he leaned in closer to her wanting to do god knows what to her neck.

He continued to evilly tease her with a kiss when his eye caught how scared she was and for a second he wondered who the hell he was becoming. Hearing her squirm he flashed back to Iraq, a woman, a woman in his grip, scared for her life and suddenly he let go of her. "I'm sorry I…"

She backed away from him instantly grabbing her wrist, "What the hell is wrong with you!"

"Maxie I don't know what came over me," he tried to apologize for something he knew he couldn't, his behavior was inexcusable.

"I know what came over you!" She walked towards him in a fit of her own rage, "Your messed up brain from war thought it was okay to hurt me! You know what Logan? Maybe that's why Lulu broke up with you, you're violent, did you ever strike her?"

"No, no," he sincerely looked at her.

"Are you sure?" She begged to differ, crossing her arms, "You mean you didn't grab her when she thought you were the killer?"

"That was once, but I never…"

"It doesn't matter LOGAN," she looked at him like he must be stupid, "You scare the hell of out of us and then wonder why we don't want to be with you?" She laughed, "God you're screwed up."

She walked closer to him, "You need help, I mean real help," she pointed to her head, "Because you think its okay to act the way you do and say you're sorry later, but it's not."

"Okay you made you're point, I'm sorry, Maxie I'm gonna go," he pushed his hand on the door.

_That was it?_ She asked herself, _says he's sorry and then leaves like nothing happened, hell no_, she told herself, no way was he going to leave before she got her teeth into him. "But even if that wasn't the case because we all know how Lulu is, she tries to see the good in everyone, but me of course…" She saw Logan take his hand off the door, "You know why she probably broke up with you…"

He didn't want to hear what she had to say, "Have fun with geeky boy," he slightly joked before motioning back to the door.

She huffed in utter disbelief of what he just said, here he was apologizing for how he basically assaulted her and yet he was still rolling insults off his tongue.

"At least he won't hit me," she put her foot on the ground with her arms crossed, still very pissed.

He turned to her, "Maxie I didn't hit you," and then it dawned on him for she was exactly the person that would do such a thing, "And don't you start some damn rumor that I did." He walked towards her knowing she'd love to do that.

"What are you going to do about it?" She smiled before sarcastically threatening, "Hit me?"

"No, I'll do you one even better," he viciously grabbed her shoulder, his lips crashing into hers.

He walked around the corner roses in hand as his other hand was nervously sweating in his pocket where he approached the entrance of Kelly's and decidedly glanced at the watch on his wrist, "A little early, early bird catches the worm!" He smiled before looking up to see the ironic coincidental meaning of his words.

_I'm coming out of my cage_

He had come here to open up his heart that had been broken so many times.

_  
And I've been doing just fine  
_

He told himself he didn't need this, he didn't need to feel liked or even loved, after Lulu, after Jolene, after Georgie, he told himself he could live for years without the care of a woman.

_Gotta gotta gotta be down  
_

But no, Milo, Sam, Jason, and a dozen others told him this was it, this was his chance and he needed to be down with it.

_Because I want it all_

For those couple of hours they had convinced him he wanted it again, that feeling he got when he liked a girl, only they didn't have to convince him, he liked Maxie Jones, he just didn't think she would ever return his feelings and it appeared to him now that he was right.

_It started out with a kiss_

His eyes zoomed in on a kiss, a kiss that made his heart skip, a kiss that formed a fist, a kiss that turned his eyes cold and his face red, a kiss to end what would never begin.

_How did it end up like this_

He turned around storming to the car where he threw the bouquet into the streets not caring one bit as to how or where they landed, Port Charles rose's that were ten bucks a piece were about to stepped on just like she stepped over his heart. He hopped into the dark menacing mob mobile never once thinking to look back, to check again, to see if his eyes were fooling him, he never did any of that and tomorrow morning, he'd wish he had.

"Get off me!" She pushed him away slapping his face, "You get the hell out of here!" She quickly backed away regretting that she hit him so hard, "You get the hell out of here before I call my dad on you for sexual assault!"

He put his hand to his cheek smirking, "_It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss,_" he repeated, "Don't be so tense Maxie; I might actually think you enjoyed it." He evilly laughed, "Nice hit too."

"You're a pig," she shouted with the urgency to scream it.

"So they say," he shrugged his shoulders before turning away from her, "Have a nice night." He walked out of the diner knowing she preferred the kiss much more then a hit, both would have left her feeling flustered, but the kiss left more of a print in her mind then a bruise on her cheek would.

"Ah…" She wiped her mouth again, but it didn't shake off the kiss so she walked over to the table and took a sip of her glass thinking the tangy feeling would erase it, but it didn't, it only made it worse for Spinelli would be hear in ten minutes if not sooner and she already felt guilty.

_Now I'm falling asleep_

It felt like a nightmare, only the nightmare wasn't real and this was. It was so real he could feel his heart breaking, arteries shredding, blood leaking, every breath was shorter leaving him gasping for air. Slamming the door shut to a dark penthouse, he realized Jason wasn't home for he would have complained about the noise; he leaned on the door rubbing his hands through his hair wondering what the hell went wrong.

On any normal day he would have turned the lights on, but today, tonight, all he wanted to do was sit in the dark wondering why it felt he was destined to be alone. Slowly making his way to the desk he emptied his pockets, his wallet, the small rectangular box of a bracelet that Milo had recommended him getting to add more shine to the night, but it became just another little detail that wouldn't mean anything.

Dropping the keys next to his laptop he stared down at the thing that defined him. The very object that separated him from all the others, the one thing that turned off every girl he ever cared about except one, Georgie. As he stared down at it, it became more apparent that perhaps Georgie was the only girl for him, just unfortunate that this girl whom he regretfully believed to be his one and only was now dead. It made him sick that this was his life for he'd never really escape her death or the idea of death in general. He was a detective, a criminal investigator where often the crimes that would be investigated would be that of death. Wonderful.

"Gawd!" He shouted as he wrapped his fingers around the sides of the laptop, "All I ever wanted…" Tomorrow he'd look back and realize that throwing his laptop across the room perhaps wasn't the best way to control his anger, but right now in this very moment he felt that it was.

He watched in slow motion as the laptop hit the fire place breaking into a dozen pieces which he knew would make it inoperable and then reached into his jacket for his cell phone. A cell phone was a completely different piece of technology, more important to him for it was his way of communicating to Jason or Milo or Dillon that was his sole purpose for it now, business. So as he tossed the phone up and down catching it in his hands when he caught it this time he'd aim it right for the couch, the feeling of just throwing it, he convinced himself, made him feel better.

He knew from Jason that destroying things was only half of what comforted a scorned man, alcohol did the trick too and so that's where he slowly walked to, Jason's tequila bar, to burn the image out of his head. Grabbing the bottle he screwed the top off and arched the bottle in the air drinking as much as he could, which wasn't a lot, before coughing, "Ah."

He stumbled to the stairs where he fell to his knees on the steps, hoping the more he drank the faster he'd be intoxicated to fall asleep and forget the night, if only he could hold his licker.

_And my stomach is sick_

He put the bottle down after just three short sips and lied back on the stairs, with his other hand gently grazing his forehead and his eyes staring up at the ceiling. To be honest the alcohol helped about ten percent, destroying Jason's penthouse helped twenty percent, and so there was still seventy percent of him hurting like hell. The alcohol had not burned the image out of his mind, it had only made him sick, more sick then his stomach already was thinking of what they were doing now.

_And it's all in my head _

The lights were off in Kelly's, light music was playing on the jukebox and Maxie sat lonely at the table looking at the one candle lighting up the place. She removed her cell phone from her pocket; he was now almost an hour late. Spinelli was never late, at least not for her. Even when he was busy, when he was in the middle of working on something for Jason, he made time for her or called her so she'd know when to expect him, well not this time.

She found Spinelli's number in her contact list and as she selected his name and waited for her phone to contact his, she looked around at the environment she had set up. As soon as Logan left she had filled the glasses up with orange soda known to Spinelli as nectar of the gods, she moved Sam's box of things to the back and then walked over to the juke box to set a list of songs she wanted to have played and then at last she dimmed the lights. The food she had bought for the two of them to cook was in the fridge waiting to be taken out, hamburgers for dinner, French toast for desert with a side of fruit, she though it would be a cute surprise remembering the morning he cooked for her.

"Hey Spin, it's Maxie. I was just wondering if you've forgotten about our date or if something came up with Jason and you had to work, which is totally fine I understand, but can you call me so we can plan this for another night. I really do need to talk to you, bye…" She stayed on the line a few more seconds thinking that maybe he'd answer at the last minute, but he didn't.

"Okay, well now what?" She annoyingly asked herself as she put the phone on the table not wanting to call Jason or Milo and see if maybe Spinelli was with them. She knew the only way he'd stand her up is if something suddenly happened that required his attention, it was something she could accept tonight for she noticed especially recently how hard Spinelli was on himself to find Michaels shooter. He was almost harder on himself then he was when Georgie had died, it made her sad to see him work himself to exhaustion thinking that every minute he wasn't working was a minute he could be saving someone.

She motioned to her wine glass to see that it was empty, she already had two glasses of orange soda and wasn't too thrilled into having another so as she got up from the table with her glass in hand and set it on the back counter next to the fridge where she looked for ice tea or lemonade or really anything that could take her mind off of Spinelli.

She smiled seeing a can of Brisk ice tea, immediately grabbing it knowing she probably shouldn't take it for it probably belonged to one of the waiters, but she figured she'd just replace it tomorrow. The light that was being emitted from the fridge disappeared from her face as she closed the door and suddenly the room seemed different, darker then she had left it. Opening the can she motioned to her wine glass, ignoring what felt like a dark shadow run pass the room. Pouring the tea in her glass with one hand she used the other to reach into the depths of the pocket of her skit, but didn't find what she was looking for. Slightly alarmed she glanced over her shoulder at the table where the candle was no longer lit, but her phone was. Beaming with light she assumed it was Spinelli calling her. Quickly grabbing the matches from the cabinet above her she grabbed her glass and made her way over to the non-threatening table.

Before she even touched the phone she instantly scratched the match along the back of the match box and lit the candle, to re-establish the little bit of security that had been lost. Blowing the flame out, she waved the match stick in the air to get rid of the little bit of smoke coming from it and then set it on the table. Picking up her glass that was sweating cold drips of moisture, she slowly raised it to her lips while her right hand rubbed her neck and neighboring shoulder.

The air was different, she didn't know why in this moment as she looked up at the doors, at the windows at the other tables, she didn't know why she felt nervous or scarce or jumpy, but there was something unsettling about the state that she found the table in. Tilting the glass up, she let the tea touch her parched lips and enter her unnerving dry mouth where it preceded down her throat of crept up bile waiting to crawl up her esophagus and make her feel sick. The tension in the joints of her neck was not at all easing up as her hand massaged it, but thankfully the tea was beginning to bring peace to her mind. Lowering her hand to her hip she brought the glass down to her chin and glanced down at her phone where it read, _one new message._

She pressed her finger down on the 'okay' button of her pink Motorola Razor and waited as her phone revealed the message…in the form of a text. She realized instantly she must have held the button too long for it skipped the step in which one can see the location or rather the caller and immediately revealed the message. Her eyes scanned the words from left to right before reaching a startling ending.

The glass fell.

Her head jerked.

She gasped.

Liquid splashed.

A hand covered her mouth.

His arm reached over her chest.

She squealed.

Her hands fought his grip.

He whispered, "Shhhhhh."

She struggled.

"Stop moving."

She refused.

"STOP MOVING!"

A knife came into her vision.

"Do as I say and you won't get hurt."

She nodded.

He smiled.

The candle blew out.

_But she's touching his—chest_

His fist hit the step below him, his left hand grazed his forehead, his eyes closed and saw them. The kiss. His hands. Her arms. Their lips where they didn't belong.

His hand upon her mouth, his lips caress her skin, his eyes glance up at hers and the hunt is over, he found "the right one" this time, his final victim, "Shhh…"

He motioned to remove his hand after believing she understood the sweet nothings he whispered in her ear, "Easy." He softly spoke, "Not a sound and I won't hurt you." She cried, he heard and that was the end.

The tequila drizzled out of his mouth, a small sip he couldn't intake convincing him to screw the top back on to the bottle for getting drunk was a lost cause at the moment.

"Shut up!" He grabbed her by the head, by the roots of her short hair, knocking everything off the table with his other hand, "You hear me! Shut up!" He fiercely turned her body to face him as the unintentional whimpers grew louder, she was scared to death and he wanted silence, "SHUT UP!" He hit her across the face.

He sprung up from lying down on the stairs, awake now, something in him snapped out of his misery as a feeling developed in his gut that something wasn't right.

Her lip trembled as she felt his hand sting her face, tears trailing down her cheeks like a flash flood, too scared to say anything, but frightened as she heard his belt, the zipper, she realized what was happening, no this wasn't happening to her, "No…." She whined, kicking him in the ribs before pushing his chest away from her.

"Ah bitch," he hunched over momentarily as she disappeared from her sight, "Get back here!" She thought she had bought herself minutes, but it was only seconds as she slid a chair in his path where he tripped over it falling right in hindsight of her ankle, "I've got you!" He snatched her ankle, "You're not gonna get away like your bitch of a friend did!" He pulled harder but she hung onto the door handles, "Well this _bitch_ is getting away."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," he removed his pocket knife a sliced a small cut into flesh of her leg.

Her leg gave out as shouted in throbbing pain, it was just enough for him to gain the upper hand, that's what this was about, getting power over her. He grinned brightly, "I'm coming!" He grabbed tighter around her ankle and yanked her from the door.

His head jerk, the feeling was growing, some place somewhere something was happening, he just didn't know what or to whom.

"No no no…" She yelled as he dragged her closer to him, "No one can hear you." He hovered his body over hers, "Not Mr. Hayes, not Mr. Spinelli, not Daddy commissioner." He looked down at her face that was desperately trying not to look at him, "So cry all you want," he grabbed her chin as her head hit against the floor, he forced her to look at him, "You are my whore tonight."

_Now, he takes off her dress_

He ripped open her blouse terrifying her further at the incredible amount of strength he had over her. She pushed him, hit him, slapped him all of which agitated him more as she screamed in agony, "Get off of me!" She yelled, but he moved to her skirt, unbuttoning it.

"No no no!" Stricken with panic, urgency, she hollered for help and as he unzipped her she moved her hands to his, begging him to stop, but he instantly grabbed them and planted himself higher up on her body, "Shh…" He put his hand over her mouth while his arm lied across her body preventing either arm from moving. She was pinned now, pinned to the floor as he removed his hand from her mouth, pulled down her skirt and invaded her.

_Now, let me go  
_

Inside she was gasping for air, her heart was breaking, something in her was dying and the leaf of hope she clung onto was gone. She lied their silent as a mouse as he slid in and out her like it was no big deal. Every moan initiated a tear from her eyes that were closed trying to think of something happy, something to take her mind off of what was happening to her, but just as she thought she might have had something to give her a distraction he'd grab her. He'd grab her breast like he was doing now and rub it, he'd grab her thigh and squeeze it, he'd grab her cheek and lick it.

She never regretted her actions, the way she dressed, the way she spoke, the way she flirted with complete strangers, she never regretted it until now, she never believed in faith until she began praying for him to be done, to let her go.

_  
I just can't look its killing me_

He only looked through the glass a few seconds, it happened so quickly that it didn't feel like minutes, it felt like seconds closing in on what could have been. He didn't wait for the kiss to be over, he couldn't, he saw her kissing another man, a man he loathed, a man she had history with, a man he couldn't grant her the benefit of the doubt, the look, it killed him. _  
_

_And taking control  
_

The confidence he built in himself was gone, why didn't he open the door, why didn't he believe the true goodness in her heart, why didn't he believe that he was worthy of her, why, why, why! Why didn't he take control of the situation and see what he walked in on? Why? Because.

_Jealousy, turning saints into the sea  
_

He was jealous, he was always jealous, jealous of every woman that walked into his life and saw the crabby commando or the clean cut cadet or the mob prince as better men than himself.

_Swimming through sick lullabies_

She told herself it would be over soon, soon it would be over, soon, soon, soon, it was the lullaby she told herself, soon, soon, soon, but not soon enough was the sickness of it all._  
_

_Choking on your alibis  
_

He left too soon, he begun telling himself as a little voice in his heart was trying to win over his mind that the kiss actually meant nothing. _No_, he told himself, _it meant something_. He turned away after seeing the kiss, after staring at them for what seemed too long, he turned away and then looked back for another fifteen seconds if not more, he made sure, he looked back, he checked his eyes, he saw their lips still entwined after whole minutes. It was a real kiss, with real meaning behind it; there was no doubt about it.

_But it's just the price I pay  
_

It was the price she paid for being a slut, that word haunting her now, it was the word everyone used to describe her and it was true. She was dirty enough for some man, a man she couldn't recognize, but obviously knew, she was dirty enough for him to commit rape.

_Destiny is calling me  
_

A knock at the Penthouse door.

_Open up my eager eyes  
_

He glanced at the door with indeed eager eyes. Did he really want to see who was there? He looked at his watch it was only 8:15. Jason would never knock, Milo didn't live here, Dillon would never surprise him here at this time of night, so who? Surely not anyone for him.

'_Cause I'm Mr. Brightside_

But he's Spinelli. He's the guy that looks at the glass half full, he's the guy that takes a problem and fixes it, he's the guy who couldn't feel any worse then he did right now so what did he have to lose? Maybe this visitor was the answer to his broken heart, could it be?

_I never…._

expected a knock.

_I never…_

expected a friend.

_I never…_

expected _her_.

* * *

So yeah I told you it was violent and once again I did research, I tried to write it the best of my ability. So I'm sure wondering why to keep on reading cause poor Maxie just had something horrible happen to her, but I promise it will only get better from here on out, the purpose of this event is to bring Spinelli and Maxie together. This storyline is something that will continue to bring them together, drive them apart, etc because there will be a lot of blame going around in the next chapters, in a way it's a big eye opener to their relationship with one another. Of course I'll give spoilers if you want them. Please review, I'd really like to know what you thought of the chapter, I've never exactly written a rape scene before and I almost didn't write it, but felt it was necessary to the story. Thanks for reading, I'll try to have an update soon.

Next Chapters: Spinelli opens up to an old friend, will it lead to more? Spinelli finds Maxie and takes care of her, surprising himself and her.


	20. Listen to your heart

Chapter 20: Listen to your heart

She gasped as he opened the door not expecting to see the face that looked at, "I know you and I aren't in a good place right now, but I really need you."

He cleared his throat before speaking in a sad lost voice that didn't mind her company tonight, "Lulu, come in."

She carefully read his face knowing even before he spoke that something was wrong and the fact that he didn't even greet her with his usual 'Blonde one' was only more proof that the man who once considered her to be his dear friend was wounded.

"Come on," he motioned, "Come in," he insisted as she stood in the doorway trying to solve his gloomy presence.

She walked through the doorway hearing him close the door after her, "Spinelli," she turned to him.

"You don't have to explain, I don't care why you're here, I'm just glad you're here," he formed a smile with a slight frown to it.

"Good because…I have no where else to go," she shrugged her shoulders as tears built up in her eyes again.

He looked at her as she broke down right in front of him, she needed someone to hold her for whatever reason and tell her everything was going to be alright. He slowly walked to her with open arms not at all able to observe just how vulnerable she was until she latched onto him.

Resting her head just below his shoulder she placed her hand on his chest while her other wrapped around him and she suddenly found herself not crying or shedding a tear. She found comfort, security in his arms just like she always had every time her life was falling apart. He had always been there to pick up the pieces, always.

Many long minutes passed, minutes that brought clarity, peace, relief; to the night that seemed to bring such a great deal of sorrow to them. Sniffling, she felt strong enough to ease out of his arms where she saw his frown that he tried to pass on as smile, "I can see you haven't had a good night either?"

His lips curled, "No, I haven't, but…" He paused, briefly sighing before continuing his sentence, "I'll be okay, the question is, will you?"

She widened her eyes, raising her eye brows with a hesitant smile, "I don't know."

"Well I have all night," he smiled differently this time towards her, it was more of a actual welcoming to the fact that he could take his mind off his problems and focus on someone else's.

"I know this is a lot to ask, but, can I stay the night?" She shrugged her shoulders hoping she wasn't asking for too much.

"Stay as long as you like," he gave her another warm smile as he saw her face begin to light up in appreciation, "Thank you, I just…I don't even know where to being," she wandered to the couch where he followed.

She sat down on the couch that seemed incredibly relaxing, maybe it was because she was tired, but for the most part it was because of the mood she was in, a numbness in her heart, a part of her wanting to understand Johnny's decision, but a greater part of her not wanting to accept it at all, wanting to act like this wasn't an honorable action, like he didn't love her.

He could tell that whatever had happened, whom he guessed had something to do with Johnny, whatever it was, had shook her up pretty badly in the form of a shattered heart, "Spinelli I just want to cry," he heard her say with her tears getting choked up in her voice.

"Well," he gently touched her leg, "I have a shoulder and…" He pulled out his blue handkerchief, "And this to…" He used it to clear her face of the small drops of liquid running down her face, "To wipe away everything that happened."

He continued to surprised her, he wasn't just letting his guard down tonight, he was in part acting like a different person, an alter ego that he hadn't exactly been allowed to show, the details weren't important, but let's just say, tonight, the jackal was no more, it was plain and simple Damian Spinelli.

She slightly laughed completely in aw by his actions, "Spin…"

"Shh…" He finished soaking up her tears in his sky blue handkerchief, "Better are we?"

She nodded before slowly moving towards him on the couch wanting to snuggle with him, "I don't know what I would do without you."

He shrugged his shoulders wondering the same thing, but didn't want to think about it, "What happened Lulu?"

A deep hollow emptiness in her voice, she revealed what he had already predicted, "Johnny and I are over, that's what happened," she placed her hand on his chest, "He told me tonight we have to end it, for good."

"He said that it was always forbidden, that it was always going to come to this," she said with clarity, "I think a part of me always knew, but…" She faintly rambled in disbelief, "You know I look at my parents and they had this amazing love story, they conquered…So much, they lived through so many ups and downs and I just thought that with Johnny…" She lost the will to keep explaining what she believed was now stupid, "I guess I guess I was wrong."

She tucked her head harder on his chest with the memories of her and Johnny earlier becoming too painful to talk about anymore or at least for the moment. As her eyes glanced down to her hand that slowly met his, she noticed once more the suit he was wearing and had yet to ask about, "Spinelli why are you all dressed up?"

"Aw, the million dollar question," he smirked.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," she glanced up at him to see his smile that suggested he didn't care, to an extent.

"I had a date tonight," he softly smiled to see Lulu quickly pulling herself up on the couch, "Wait you had a date tonight?"

"It's really nothing to talk about Lu," he sighed, but she was completely excited, "Of course it is, it's not everyday that the Jackal," she playfully punched him, "Is asked out on a date."

"You're right, but let's not…" He looked into her eyes asking her not to push this.

She slowly nodded, "I see. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have assumed you wanted to…girl talk with me," she looked away from him only to feel his hand cup her cheek, "No hard feelings."

She smiled, "Why are you so good to me?"

"Because," he knew he didn't need to explain himself further.

He gently took his hand off her cheek and slowly got up from the couch taking his jacket off and rolling up his sleeves, "You know…" He walked away from the couch to the stairs, "Sometimes the best way to fight the pain is to…"

She watched him pick up the bottle, "Spinelli you're not seriously thinking of drinking."

"Why not?" He walked over the bar grabbing two shot glasses, "I need something…"

She flashed back to that time they were kidnapped by Alcazar, "Spinelli I remembered getting drunk with you and it…"

"Wasn't pretty, I remember, crystal clear," he laughed as he sat down, "But I need to forget tonight and so do you." He placed the glasses down.

She put her hand on his not in the mood to get drunk, "Spinelli this isn't going to help."

He ignored her, pouring a glass of tequila, "Want one?"

"No," she said with annoyance pushing her glass aside.

"Okay," he looked away from her like she was missing out on something.

As he brought the glass to his lips she stopped him, "And you don't want one either okay?" She forced his hand on the coffee table.

The alcohol spilled on his shirt, but more over the coffee table, "Damn it Lulu," he slightly raised his voice in annoyance, "Why did you do that?"

"Because I know you're hurting and getting drunk is not the answer, being destructive…" She pointed to the fireplace where his laptop was, "Is not the answer."

"Well it's my answer," he attempted to pour himself another glass ignoring her attempts to stop him.

"Jason and Elizabeth got drunk and they…" She lingered.

"Oh no you don't," he joked, "You are not gonna pin the one night stand which led to a bun in the oven talk with me."

"Well…" She took the bottle from him, "Then stop being silly."

"Lulu," he patiently waited for her to stop being childish about this.

"Please Spinelli," she slightly frowned, "Pretty please…" She curled her lip trying to use her sadness to manipulate him.

He looked at her like it wasn't going to work and after a few minutes she gave up, "Fine. Drink yourself to a bad hangover I'm not gonna watch."

"Then don't," he let the inner rage in him show which obviously startled her, hurt her for he wasn't usually like this, he rarely lost his cool with her.

He took the bottle from her hand and poured himself a drink before knocking the drink back and feeling once again nauseated by the strong substance. He motioned to grab the bottle when she put her hand on it, "Spinelli."

"Lulu, blonde one, darling," he insisted she let go, but the longer she kept her hand on it the more his eyes grew enraged.

"No," she raised her voice, "You can barely keep it down."

"I'm fine," he roughly grabbed the bottle from her hands and poured yet another drink.

She let him win his tantrum, but saw the hesitance in his hand as he raised the glass, "What's wrong with you Spin?" She was more than concerned; she was worried for he was different tonight, different in ways she didn't think existed within him.

He responded to her in a sad unsatisfying view of himself, "A lot of things Lulu," he looked away as he felt something building up in his eyes, tears that he was afraid to show.

"Not from where I'm looking at," she touched his hand, "You are perfect just the way you are."

He formed a smile in the corner of his mouth wanting to believe what she said, but a frown came soon after, "Apparently not perfect enough…" He looked away from her where her hand slipped off his wrist as he drank the shot.

"Apparently not perfect enough," he muttered again before getting up from the couch walking to the fire place where his hand rubbed the back of his neck and his other leaned on the brick shelf of the fire place.

"Not enough for you, for Jolene, too stupid to notice Georgie…"

"Hey Spin," she was about to get up when he turned to in a fit of rage.

"Don't sugarcoat it please, you and I will only be friends and I'm fine with that, I've accepted it, but…I just don't understand why I've always got to be alone,"

"You're not alone," she softly spoke, "I'm here."

"That's not what I mean and you know it," he turned away from her leaning back on the shelf, "I'm alone. I have become my master, the man I worship; I have become Stone Cold in the worst way."

"That's not true." She slowly got up from the couch.

"Yes it is, Jason will always be alone because of the life he leads and I'm alone because I'm the weird computer geek, isn't that what you all refer me as? Never the sweet guy, but the freak." He walked away from the ledge as she motioned to touch his shoulder.

"I'm just, tired Lulu," he wandered back over to the couch, "So very tired of everything." He looked down at the bottle, "Tired of feeling worthless."

She took a seat on the edge of the coffee table, "You are not worthless, not to me, to Jason, to Milo, to Sam…To Maxie." She hated to admit it, "We all need you."

He poured another drink, "Maybe so, maybe so."

"I know so," she put her hand on his to prevent him from taking in another drink, "I know enough that tonight, I didn't know where I was going. I got into my car and knew there was only one person who could look at me and not judge me for my mistakes, that person is you."

She looked at him with tears in her eyes, "I love you exactly the way you are," she raised her other hand to his cheek, "And there's not one thing I would change about you."

He looked into her eyes feeling brave enough to let her see the tears in his eyes, "Really?" He asked in disbelief, "You really think that I'm…"

"Yes, I do," she raised the hand that had been resting in on his, to his other cheek, both hands now resting on his soft shaven cheeks, "I think that when you finally meet someone, when you finally fall in love and get married, I'm going to be one jealous woman because that means I'm going to have to share you."

His lip stopped trembling, warm tears left his eyes and as he raised his hand to meet the welcoming hand on his cheek, he laughed, "And you said you're not like Carly."

"Aw!" She playfully hit his shoulder laughing while he grabbed that very hand and kissed it, "As long as you don't knock on my door at midnight…"

She looked down at her watch, "How's 8:30?"

"Might be a little late," he smirked, "But I guess I can make an exception."

"You guess?" She got off the coffee table to playfully hit him again, but he grabbed her hands and some how found herself on the couch laughing with him, "You better!" She shouted.

He wrestled with her hands to keep them from hitting him, "We'll see about that!" He motioned to tickle her.

"No stop!" She laughed, "Please." She laughed harder before they both ran out of energy and an awkward stare developed.

He leaned away from her bringing himself to simply sitting on the couch where he smiled, "Aw that was fun." He slightly laughed as his eyes wandered at the bottle of alcohol that he no longer needed, "Thank you."

"For what?" She readjusted herself to just sitting on the couch next to him.

"For laughing," he looked away from her, "For getting my mind off of drinking."

"Well I meant it, every word, even if you find happiness with Maxie," she rolled her eyes, "I mean if that happened I would hate it, but I'd find a way to deal with it because I'd know that you loved her."

He smiled at her sweetness, "Well." He got up from the couch with the bottle and glasses in his hand and returned it to bar behind the couch next to the pool table.

"I just want you to know that," she watched him join her back on the couch, "I mean I despise Maxie, but if you two got together…"

"First," he turned to her, "Thank you for not wanting to parade my life like Carly, secondly, you don't have to worry about Maxie and I because it's never gonna happen."

"But the other day…" She knew he insisted he wanted more than just friendship with her.

"But tonight I saw Maxie with Logan," he saw her eyes widened, "My date was her, but I saw the kiss and walked away."

"Are you sure it was…" She thought back to what she said earlier to Logan.

"Yes," he nodded assuringly.

"Spinelli I'm not one to defend Maxie, but are you sure she was actually kissing him. I mean we know Logan can be forceful," she remembered the almost bar fight she had with him in Sonny's coffee shop.

"It was a long kiss, at least in my eyes, it was intense, maybe even passionate, it was just something of her past that I thought I'd never see again," he looked back at her, "But you were right, she hasn't changed." He gently tapped her leg, "You warned me and I didn't listen."

She didn't want to take credit for this, for advice she had given him when she never actually thought Maxie of all people would get together with Logan _again_, "Spinelli I talked with Logan tonight and I blamed the reason we broke up on Maxie," she knew if she didn't tell him that he'd ultimately look back at this night and accuse her of manipulation or something else.

"Maxie is a grown woman, if Logan kissed her out of revenge or anger, it's over and done with, it's quick, but this was just…" He leaned back on the couch, sighing, "Just not what I expected."

She gently picked up his hand swinging it smiling for him to be hopeful, where minutes later after a long silence developed she leaned back on the couch finally admitting another great sorrow of hers tonight, "Lucky's dead."

He glanced at her not sure what he heard, "Apparently he was on some undercover assignment and they haven't heard from him in days, they found his partner, Cruz, they found his body in New York City and they have enough evidence to believe Lucky might have suffered the same fait."

It was odd, earlier she couldn't even fathom the idea, let alone discuss it and here she was some how finding a way to explain it to Spinelli, whom she thought might already know, but based on his expression he hadn't heard of such news.

He looked at her face that wasn't shedding a tear, "But you don't believe them do you?"

She nodded, "I can't, not until I see a body, I don't care what evidence they have, he's not dead Spinelli he's not dead to me."

He understood, wishing he could do something right now to give her more hope that her brother was alive, "I'd hack into the PCPD for you, but my laptop is…" He wandered his eyes and laughed, "Not accessible at the moment."

She laughed, "Its okay, maybe I don't want to know anything about it tonight; maybe I just want to sit here with you," she put her arms around him, snuggling with him again, "Maybe I just want to sit here with you and forget that my family hates me."

He rubbed his hand along her back, "Hey," he looked down at her before gently placing his hand on her chin forcing her to look at him, "No one hates you."

"Yes they do," she looked back down putting her hand in his and began to explain everything that happened at the Haunted Star with Scotty and her father.

"He hates me, just like Carly, Sonny, Jax and Jason…The Quartermaines, oh and Elizabeth and Nicholas," she almost forgot about them, especially Nicholas, how would he react to the possibility that the man she loves, that his family might be responsible for killing their brother.

He stroked her blonde hair, "Don't think what other's are feeling."

"It's true," she looked at their hands.

"It's not," he simply told her, "Because I don't hate you."

Her eyes glanced up at his, "You don't?"

He chuckled, "No, I don't, I don't think I can hate my best friend," he smirked.

"No matter…" Her lip trembled, everything he had done tonight proved he didn't hate her yet she still believed that he would turn on her like they all had.

"No matter how much she resembles the Valkyrie," he softly smiled and soon her fragile frown turned into smile.

She placed her hand on his cheek and kissed it, "Friends forever?"

"Forever," he took her hand off his cheek and kissed it.

"For eternity?" She placed her hand on his chest.

He looked at his somewhat not so bright blonde friend, "I think forever means for the rest of our lives, so yes for eternity," he saw her bright smile, "It's gonna be a long eternity."

"Spinelli!" She moved to tickle his waist, but he grabbed her hands, "Not so fast bad blonde one!" He goofily laughed as she continued to pursue him, but he slid his hand around her waist and gently pushed her to the opposite end of the couch where he now lied on top of her.

They're laughs quieted down before they both awkwardly smiled at each other wondering what they were waiting for, wondering why tonight it seemed as though they got along better than they ever had before, wondering why at the moment they stared at each other they felt compelled to lean forward.

Her hands around his neck, one stroking his hair the other dangling, she watched as he closed in on the space between them letting his lips stop just a quarter of an inch from hers. She wondered why he was stalling and then his face that once seemed curious leaned away from hers.

He sat up on the couch while she continued to lie down on the couch, "Spinelli what's wrong?"

He quickly looked at her, "Nothing," he smiled.

She slowly sat up, "Are you drunk?" She gently touched his shoulder, "Are you feeling sick?"

He nodded, "No I'm not drunk, I feel fine."

"Then," she moved her hand from his shoulder, "What's wrong?"

He became frustrated folding his hands on his face, "Ah!" He got up from the couch, "What's wrong with me?" He walked around the edge of the couch.

"What do you mean…" She got up walking around the opposite side of the couch, "…What's wrong with you?" She stopped right in front of him at the pool table.

"I mean," he looked down sliding his hands to his hips, speechless now for he didn't know how to say what he was feeling.

"Spinelli talk to me," she stepped closer to him, "Tell me what's going on in that complicated, hidden mind of yours."

He looked up at her, his eyes staring at her like they never had before, "When I saw Maxie with Logan tonight, something in me snapped."

"I honestly thought I was falling in love with her," he threw his hands up in the air, "I was making changes in my life Lulu, changes in my life so that if we ever did get together the danger wouldn't be an issue," he looked down at the floor moving his hands back down to his hips, "But once again nothing I ever do is enough."

"So I came home, took the Stone Cold approach and started drinking to forget what I saw, what she might be doing with him and so far it hasn't worked," he looked at her still angry that he hadn't found a cure to his secret pain, Elizabeth was Jason's cure, who was his?

She saw the hateful look in his eyes like in this very moment the kiss he had witnessed was burning in his mind, "There's nothing worse then seeing the person you love with someone else," she looked away from him, "Let alone seeing them with the person you hate..."

She paused for a few seconds as if she was processing something in her mind, realizing something for the first time, "Oh my…" She glanced up at him, "I just realized I did that to you." She always knew she had hurt him, but never quite realized the full scale of her actions, how bad she had _really_ hurt him.

He looked at her a little confused, "No you didn't."

"Yes I did, at Jakes when you told me that Logan was bad news, you kept telling me over and over again that I was setting myself up for a heartbreak, Spinelli don't you get it? If I had just listened to you I would have never gotten involved with Logan or met Johnny, our lives could be completely different."

"But you did," he was like Jason, no need rethinking the past, thinking of the what-ifs, the only thing that mattered was the present.

"…You ignored what I said, you fell in love with him, we lost our friendship," he watched her glance away from him, still ashamed that it happened like he described, "But…" He placed his hand on her cheek bringing her attention to him, "We found our way back to each other."

She felt him wipe the tears running down her cheek with his thumb, "We've been doing a lot of that lately," she smiled as she could feel the tears in her throat clearing up.

He faintly smiled at the truth of her statement, "Maybe if you had listened to me we wouldn't be in the place we're in right now…"

She put her hand on his that was still warming up her cold cheek, "Do you ever wonder if all this is a sign?"

"That maybe the reason you saw Maxie tonight, the reason Johnny ended things with me, why so many of our relationships didn't work out is because you and I are supposed to be together?" She had no idea what she was saying, if it made any sense, but she couldn't understand why in the moments her life was falling apart, why she always came to him, why no one else crossed her mind, but _him_.

"I could tell you what the Greek gods or what the Roman gods believed signs to be, but in the end it really comes down to what I believe doesn't it?"

She chuckled, "Yes." Only Spinelli would drag gods from the underworld in.

"And I think that tonight, there's a reason after all this time, after everything that's happened, theirs a reason you came to me, there's a reason I opened that door, there's a reason for everything and I believe that tonight, you and I _are_ meant to be together," his lips crashed into hers.

She put her arms around her neck as he instinctively pushed her body up against his having no idea where these actions of his were coming from, if they were even plausible for someone like him to have, he was supposed to be a computer nerd and yet as he put his hands on her neck and kissed her lips, he seemed to know exactly what he was doing, he seemed to be a genius at it.

Her hands moved to the buttons of his dress shirt, "Did I ever tell you this color looks great on you?"

Caressing her neck he was too in the moment to say much of anything, but a small whisper, "No…"

"Well it does, you looked great tonight," she placed her hand on his cheek kissing his lips as she undid each and every button.

She pulled his shirt up before moving to her hands to his buckle where he pulled away, "Wait…"

"Yeah?" She looked up at him wondering if he was getting cold feet.

"We're not doing this down here," he swept her off her feet, "I want you to be comfortable."

"It doesn't matter where we are as long as I'm with you," she placed her hand on his cheek, "I don't care where we..."

"It matters to me," he walked her upstairs where he kicked the door open, brought her in and then kicked the door close.

"Spinelli I didn't think you had it in you," she was impressed to say the least, behind the awkward boy was a man, a real man, a lion waiting to roar.

Placing her gently on the bed he walked around the front as she comfortably got undressed, he flung his shirt off while his dark navy blue dress pants stayed on and slowly crawled on the bed making his way towards her like lion enclosing in on his prey.

He pulled himself up on her body kissing her waist, "Like I said…"

He kissed his way up her waist, her chest, the cleavage area of her breasts and then as he lied on top of her, he put his arm around her waist and his hand on her cheek where he slowly leaned towards her lips, whispering just before he kissed them, "You don't know me."

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Hey so I kind of got my inspiration form Jason and Elizabeth's one night stand back in 2006, but I think this scene worked out nice, it was originally supposed to be darker on Spinelli's part, but it wasn't working so I cut some of that out. Please don't forget to review!

Next chapter: Spinelli finds Maxie, will he regret his night with Lulu and will Lulu realize there's more to her friendship with Spinelli, can she love two guys at once? Spinelli will go out of his way to make sure he finds the man who raped Maxie, even if it means putting himself in danger.


	21. Breath Me

Chapter 21: Breathe Me

**Author's Note:**

Hey guys! Thanks again for reviewing, I really do appreciate the reviews so keep them coming. Well I think the title kind of explains the chapter. It's based off of the song Breathe me by sia. You should listen to the song when Spinelli get's to Kelly's, the scene might be more dramatic if you listen to it then. This is a really short chapter, the scene will continue onto the next chapter. Once again enjoy!

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His eyes slowly fluttered open somewhat forgetting what exactly had happened last night until his eyes grew focused on the strands of blonde hair on his chest. Her silky blonde strands were covering her face that lied so peacefully on his arm where she had placed her hands in his sometime during the night. Wanting to see her face he gently lifted her blonde and tossed it aside where he kissed her cheek.

She instantly smiled, "Good morning Spinelli." She pleasurable sighed as she brought his hand to her waist, "Good morning," she turned to him placing her hand on his cheek where she leaned in to pierce his lips.

He heavenly smiled that it appeared she was just as happy as him to wake up in her arms, "How are you?"

She took a deep breath smiling, "Wonderful, but hungry."

He nodded, "I see well I can fix that." He slowly moved to get out of bed.

She pulled on his hand not implying for him to leave her, "Where are you going?"

Looking for his blue shirt he looked up at her as he found it by the foot of the bed, "Kelly's."

She whined with annoyance, "But that's so far away."

He stopped in his tracks just as he grabbed his pants, "It's like fifteen minutes away."

"Yeah it's so far away," she reiterated with playfulness, "Come back to bed, it's a little too early for breakfast anyway."

His eyes wandered to the clock that read almost five o' clock, "I won't be long," he slid his pants on.

"Ug…" She sighed heavily lying back down on the bed, "Can't you just make me something here?"

He smiled as he finished tucking in his shirt and buckling his pants, "No…"

He walked over to his drawer grabbing black socks and his black shoes from last night and sat on the bed feeling her slight tug, "But the last time, well the time before last time, you made me breakfast."

"It was fruit and toast," he looked at her like it wasn't some grand breakfast.

"It was fruit and toast that tasted great," she insisted he could do the same for her and it would be fine.

Putting one foot down, he tied his other black shoe, "First Jason has no food in this house, he hasn't exactly been the same since Michael's accident and so he doesn't eat anymore, secondly, the only thing I know how to make is what you described is fruit and toast."

He knew it wasn't exactly true as he put his other foot down and glanced up at her, "Let me go out and get a few things and then we'll have a feast for kings," he teased her as his hands fell in his lap.

"Okay," she annoyingly smiled, of course it was okay, waking up to him was a better feeling then she thought it would ever be, "Get me a slice of apple pie for later?"

"Anything for my blonde goddess," he brightly smiled.

"Oh now I'm a goddess?" She placed her hand around his neck.

"Well," he was at lost for words as she pulled him into a kiss before he could say anything more.

He got up from the bed in a daze as he walked to the door, "And don't worry about Stone-Err Jason, he shouldn't be home for a while now."

"What do you mean?" She wasn't sure he was saying for he sounded like Jason wouldn't be home for days.

"Well now that your brother is out of the picture or well might be out of the picture whether it was Johnny's family that got him or just regular everyday crime, I don't think Jason and Elizabeth will be wasting anymore time," he suggested knowing this really wasn't the time and place to discuss this, "So I'm just saying if you decide to parade downstairs in what you're wearing, I don't think you have to worry about anyone but me walking in on you."

She looked into his naughty eyes, "Spinelli…"

"I'm just saying," he tried to keep a straight face as he closed the door behind him and made his way downstairs to grab his wallet and keys.

She lied back in the bed pulling the sheet over her wondering how all this time he went unnoticed. How she knew him for almost two years and yet she had overlooked him, she couldn't help, but smile brightly, could this turn into something more then just a one night stand then just two friends comforting each other? Because until he had mentioned Johnny's name this morning, she hadn't thought about him at all last night while she and Spinelli were together, she hadn't thought about how complicated they were or how much she loved him, she hadn't thought about his crazy nut case family, she never once thought of the Zacchara boy and to be honest she didn't want to begin to think about him.

He took the back entrance to Kelly's which meant parking in a different parking lot, which didn't matter because it was five fifteen so no one was here and Kelly's didn't open up Sunday morning's and because Mike was still helping out with Morgan, Carly and Sonny he had told the staff to take Sunday off, so he didn't have to worry about walking in on workers trying to prepare for the place to open up at ten in the morning.

He reached for his keys attempting to put the right key into the lock when he noticed how loose the door was. Curious he put his hand on the doorknob and turned it all the way, "great." He opened the door hoping as he quietly shut it that A) the place hadn't been broken into and B) that if someone had intruded the place they still weren't there.

Walking into the kitchen everything appeared to be okay, nothing was out of the ordinary. As he passed through the doorway to behind the counter he saw the apple pie that Lulu desired a taste of and reached below the cabinets where Mike usually had white foam plastic boxes, but he was out. He knew Mike kept extras by the sink, the sink where Elizabeth just days ago had stitched his hand up and therefore walked to the sink where he reached for the handle of the cabinet above him and saw plastic white foam boxes.

Smiling that he found them he grabbed what he needed and just as he closed the cabinet door he quickly turned to hear the crunch of something he stepped on breaking. Lifting his foot off the ground he could see in the fairly dark lit room pieces of clear glass. He panned across the room resorting back to his original idea or rather fear that some one had broken in here last night, but as he looked around the room and peeked into the kitchen he saw nothing from where he was standing at. Setting the boxes down, he didn't have to walk far before he heard the crunch of yet more glass breaking. Taking a deep annoying sigh at what he might have just found, he bent down to the wooden floor to discover pieces of white dishes. Knowing he couldn't just leave the mess, he began to pick up the clutter around him when his hands got full. As he motioned to place the items on top of the table, his eye caught something in between the wedges of the chair in front of him.

Pushing the chair aside, his eyes narrowed in on the figure before him, zooming in on anything that could help him identify them, but the truth, the truth was that he knew exactly who it was. He knew even before he moved the chair, he knew it was her and was afraid to give in to his ultimate fear that the feeling he got last night, the feeling that something bad was happening, something he couldn't make out, but felt like he could stop, was happening right here at Kelly's to someone he loved.

Dropping everything in his hands he pushed the chair out of his way as he crawled to her lifeless figure, "Maxie!"

"Talk to me," he panicked as he gently turned her over to see her bruised and battered body, "Oh no please. Not again, please not again," he flashed back to the moment he found Georgie, a moment that he felt he was experiencing again.

He touched her hand that had a pulse, "Yes thank god." He leaned over her body once more putting his hand on her cheek, "Maximista, wake up honey."

When she didn't wake up he moved away from her body grabbing his phone from his pocket in an urgency and dialing 911, he waited for someone to answer as he watched her body waiting for it to move, "Hi…Hello…I need an…" And suddenly her eyes began to flutter open.

He hung up dropping his phone crawling to her again where she suddenly backed away from him with a knife in her hand.

"Maxie it's me, it's Spinelli," he knew the room was dark so in her eyes maybe he looked like her attacker, "It's me." He put his hands up in defense, "It's me."

She put the knife down and embraced him, "Where were you? I waited for you and you…you weren't here."

His heart broke all over again with every whimper, every sob, every outcry killing everything in him, killing the good in him that would let Logan Hayes live to see tomorrow, killing the memories of him and Lulu last night, killing his theory that the woman in his arms, whom he'd do anything for, hadn't changed because she had, she had changed and now he felt guiltier then ever that he mistook a kiss, a stupid kiss for something else.

"I'm here now," he leaned his head against the side of hers with his arms tenderly holding her, "I'm here now."

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Don't forget to review.

Next Chapter: Spinelli takes care of Maxie while Milo and maybe Sam investigate Kellys. Lulu wonders where Spinelli is. Spinelli goes to Crimson to...talk to Lulu or to explain something to Kate?


	22. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Chapter 22:

Beauty is in the eye of the _beholder_

**Author's Note:**

Hello! The scene continues on from the last chapter fyi. For the scenes in Kellys I listened to the song Last Dance by Sarah Mclachlan, Breathe me by Sia, and Angel by Sarah Mclachlan, those songs might help you get into the scene here for the beginning of the chapter. For those of you that have been reviewing thank you so much, I love getting the reviews cause it lets me know how people are feeling about the story. Soon the story should pick up, it's been kind of slow, so after this chapter and the next there should be a skip of a couple of days where things will get more complicated. Anyway enjoy, this is kind of a sad chapter so...we'll see oh and there's a lot of clues in here as to the what happens in the future of the story and the backstory of a particular character.

* * *

He kissed the side of her cheek, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He rested his head against the side of hers as his own tears got caught in his throat.

Sitting in his lap with her arms around his neck and her head resting on his rapidly beating heart her sobs eventually quieted down and in a way so did his heart rate. He was afraid to talk to her. She hadn't responded since he gently kissed the side of her cheek which he now began to regret for he knew it probably reminded her of the sick bastard that did this to her and seeing as she said nothing in return to his apologies he wondered if she hated him, because he certainly did.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here for you, but I promise you, I promise you that I will find out who did this to you and he will never take another breath again," he took a deep breath as his hand stroked her hair.

She glanced up at him, her voice weak and despair, "Promise?"

"Promise," he looked into her eyes that lacked any sign of light, they were just dead, "I promise you."

She nodded, trusting his word before wandering her eyes to the place that it happened. He followed her gaze knowing what her thoughts were and knew he needed to get her out of here, whether it was the hospital, the police station or her home, she needed to get away from the place that had destroyed everything he had repaired.

As his eyes wandered back to her face he saw a pool of dark liquid trailing to where they were now sitting, "You're bleeding."

"I'm okay," she looked up at him to see his hesitant face.

"No you're not okay," his voice sounded strain and then she saw the tears in his eyes, "You need a doctor, help, something."

She raised her hand to his cheek, "No I don't."

He nodded, "Yes you do." A tear ran down his cheek, "I came this close to losing you, when I saw you," he looked up at the ceiling, his lip trembling, "I thought I lost you, I thought it was Georgie all over again. You don't know how much that scared me."

She felt his warm tears roll over her hand, "Shh…" She put her finger over his mouth, seeing him get upset, was only going to upset her, "If you want to help me, take me home." She moved her hand back to his cheek.

He sunk his shoulders letting out a small whine, "Max…"

"I'm okay," she slowly insisted, "I'm just a little roughed up, damaged goods, but I was like that when you met me."

His lips curled, "You weren't damaged to me, just wounded."

She slowly smiled, "Wounded Blonde One I am again."

He didn't like her using that name again; he didn't like the idea of it in this context, something about it, bothered him.

She could see he was still distracted, still bothered, still analyzing everything, "Spinelli," she gently rubbed his cheek with her fingers, "I'm not dying."

"I know, but…" He clenched his jaw.

"Hey," she raised her hand to his droopy brown hair, stroking it, "I have a small cut, but I'm not dying."

She lowered her hand from his hair letting it slowly drift down, "Spinelli your not gonna lose me any second." She softly smiled trying to bring up his confidence for he still wasn't sure about anything at the moment and as she saw him trying to fight back his tears, the agony his feelings for her put him in, it made her realize just how much in this very moment, how much he actually cared for her.

He caught her drifting hand and kissed it, "Okay." He tried to sound more confident, "Um I'm gonna pick you up." He cleared his throat with a more sturdy voice, "Hang tight." He put his arms around her bringing her close to him and then ever so slowly lifted her off the cold floor where he soon felt her arms around his neck and her face pressed up against his chest.

Walking out to the parking lot he stopped right in front of the passenger seat, "I have to put you down for a second."

"Right," she smiled like it was no big deal, she felt lucky enough that he carried her out to the car.

He put her down, "Easy," he wasn't sure if she could stand up, but seeing as she lost her balance he quickly put his arm around her waist, "It's okay. I've got you."

She nodded feeling light head almost a little embarrassed, but once he said "I've got you" it was as if she was Rene Zellwegar in Jerry Maguire, "you had me at hello", he had her at "I've got you".

He opened the door and slowly helped her in the seat before handing her the keys, "Okay now I left my cell phone back in there so, I'll be right back."

"Can't you…" She was hesitant to be left alone.

"I want you to lock the car as I leave," he looked at her like everything was going to be okay, "Listen to me, he's not gonna hurt you again. If you need me you press this," he showed her the alarm on the button of the keys, "I'll run out, you grab the phone in here and call 911."

She sighed hoping she wouldn't have to do that, "Maxie I'm only gonna be five minutes."

"Alright, hurry back," she tried to smile as he closed the door.

She locked the car giving him a thumb's up and then watched him run back into Kellys where he quickly grabbed his phone and called Milo.

"Yah hello?" Milo rubbed his eyes while trying to focus on the time on the clock.

"Milo it's Spin," he look around the cabinets for plastic bags.

"Spinelli?" His eyes finally adjusted to see it was almost 5:30, "Dude, why you calling me this early?"

"Get to Kellys ASAP," he opened the cabinet under the sink to find a an almost empty box of Ziploc bags, "I need you to go to the nearest Walgreen's by plastic Ziploc bags, big ones with the zipper, buy plastic gloves, cue tips, Sharpie markers…"

"Milo who's on the phone?" A brunette turned over and Milo's eyes grew wide, did he actually manage to nail Sonny Corinthos's ex-mistress, Jason Morgan's ex-fiancé?

"Milo, are you listening?" Spinelli sensed that Milo was enduring a hangover at the moment.

"Yeah I'm listening," he smiled at the woman who was slowly waking up.

"Milo what's going on?" She pulled the sheet up to cover her bra.

"Go back to sleep," he quietly shushed her before looking away, whispering, "Dude you have no idea who I just woke up to!" He squealed in excitement.

"Milo this is serious!" Spinelli shouted as he turned one of the plastic bags inside out before looking around the area for anything obvious that was important that he needed to grab now in case the unknown man returned wanting to get rid of evidence.

"Alright!" Milo raised his voice, "I'm getting out of bed," he slowly rolled out of the bed, literally, where Spinelli heard a thump, "Milo?"

"Hello?" She picked up the phone while Milo cursed himself.

"Sam?" He was surprised to hear her voice.

"Spinelli?" She looked at the clock, "Hun what's going on?"

Looking around the floor, he left the pool of blood alone, but saw the knife, the odd looking pocket knife, _bingo_. Using the inside out of the bag as a glove he grabbed hold of the knife before turning the outside of the bag in and letting the knife easily fall into the bag without his finger prints on it. Even if Maxie had some how rubbed off all the man's finger prints on it, it was a personal clue for it wasn't a normal pocket knife.

"Spinelli?" Sam questioned again as Milo scratched his head still adjusting to his fall.

"I'm here," he slid the bag into his pocket before grabbing another bag to grab her cell phone, "Look I don't have much time to explain, Maxie's waiting for me in the car."

"Spinelli I'm confused," Sam motioned for Milo to get back in bed.

Watching the cell phone slide into her bag, he quickly zipped it up and put it in his pocket where he knew those were probably the only important things in the room that he could access at the moment, "I don't have time to explain, Milo has a key to Kelly's, go to Walgreen's, get plastic Ziploc bags, plastic gloves, cue tips, sharpie markers and bring your digital camera.

"Oh and," he paused for a second grabbing what he saw was Maxie's purse, "Enter Kelly's from the back with plastic gloves on."

"Plastic gloves?" She questioned before turning the phone onto speaker when Milo crawled up from the floor to the edge of the bed.

"Yes."

"Why Spinelli?" Milo asked just as alarmed as Sam.

"Because you'll be entering a crime scene," he regretfully wished he didn't have to say it like that.

"What kind of crime scene?" Sam hoped to god it wasn't murder, _had Maxie been murdered_ she thought for a second before realizing that he did say Maxie was waiting for him in the car.

"Rape." He put his hand on the door knob.

Sam and Milo scarcely looked at each other wondering what exactly happened last night, _the two were supposed to have a date_, _how did that get turn into Maxie getting raped_? They both wondered, "Spinelli." Milo seriously spoke now.

"I have to go, call me when you get to Kelly's, Milo follow the book and teach it to Sam," it was now Milo's turn to put Spinelli's teachings to the test and this was definitely one of them.

"Alright we'll call you," Sam told him and they heard the phone click.

Milo instantly ran to the dresser getting dressed in another one of his fine suits, "Are you coming?"

"You're serious about this?" She sat on the bed still, not sure of what to do.

"This is our job Sam; I mean this isn't exactly what you were supposed to do, if you don't want to come…" He picked out a red dress shirt.

"No I do, I want to help I just…" She wasn't sure what to say.

"What?" He questioned as he buttoned his shirt.

"I just didn't expect this, I mean Maxie didn't deserve this," she watched as he turned his back to her so she could find her shirt.

Sliding black dress pants on he walked over to his closet grabbing the black jacket to his suit off the coat hanger, "That's why we're going to figure out who did this to her."

"But aren't we supposed to let the police investigate first?" She asked as she pulled her white tank top on.

"Depends," he flipped a secret switch in his closet.

"What do you mean depends?" She pulled her jeans on.

He looked at the numerous amounts of weapons he had in the secret compartment of his closet deciding whether to chose his Walther P22 or his Walther P99, both of which were small semi automatic pistols often known as James Bond signature weapons. Picking up the P99 he turned off the switch and walked out of his closet where she was standing in the mirror fixing her hair.

"I mean, it depends how personal it is and seeing how much he cares about Maxie, once we find out who did this to her, we're gonna kill him," he smiled.

"Isn't that kind of…you guys are supposed to be better then the mob or the police, if you choose to kill every person that hurts your fam…"

"Don't you want to kill the people that took Lucky away from you?" He asked her as he walked towards her.

"Yes," she looked at him thinking it was different, but he looked at her like it wasn't, "Nice gun."

"Thank you, it's a P…"

"P99," she said at the same time he did.

"How'd you know?"

"How'd you get one?"

He waited for her to answer first, "James Bond movies and I lived with Jason for three years so, you tend to notice those things."

He nodded, "Spinelli found this." He walked over to his dressed grabbing his wallet and keys before tucking his gun behind his back, "I don't know how he found it, but he just did, gave it to me for my birthday."

She nodded as they walked out of the bedroom and down the stairs to the garage, where she crossed her arms completely surprised at what she found parked next his black SUV.

"What?" He looked at her.

"You have an Aston Martin and you don't drive it?" She looked at him like he must be crazy.

"Yeah," he walked to the SUV, "Come on."

"No we're taking the Martin," she stood there completely in aw of the beautiful car in front of her.

"Another time, the SUV is more suitable for what we're about to do," he insisted.

"You owe me a ride then," she walked towards the passenger seat.

"I owe you a ride?" He wondered where that came from.

"Yeah, don't you remember all that hot passionate sex we had last night?" She saw his dear caught in the head lights look knowing he didn't remember because it didn't happen.

"Umm," he jumped inside the car at the same time she did.

"Close your mouth Milo," she put her seat belt on, "If you tell another single soul that we slept together which the moment seems to escape my mind I'll be asking for a lot more than a ride in the Aston."

"Right, sorry, won't happen again," he put his seat belt on before putting the car into reverse.

"As for what happened last night? You got drunk, I drove you home, but didn't exactly want leave you on your own so I crawled into bed with you…" She saw his eyes wander, "Don't fantasize honey, I slept on my side you slept on your side."

He nodded not at all expecting her sarcastic attitude, but rolled with it as he explained how they would investigate Kelly's while he drove them to Walgreen's.

* * *

His hand sturdy on the wheel, his eyes focused on the road, his heart breaking at the silence that never occurred when he was in her presence.

"I'm really sorry that it took so long, I kind of forgot where I put my phone and so…" He stopped talking as he felt her hand touch his that was lying on his right leg, shaking, "Spinelli its okay."

He slowly nodded, his tongue licking his dry lips and he glanced away from her, "We should be home soon."

Silence filled the air once again. She stared at his eyes that were focused back on the road. His anger, his frustration, his emotions so easily felt by her, but to the average person who didn't know him, the expression would appear deep in thought. But she knew better than the average person, she was his best friend who could see he was hurting inside, who could see, he was losing a part of his soul she couldn't get enough of.

Glancing away from him she looked out the window, but never once let go of his hand. He expected to her to do just that, to let go, but when she didn't, when she squeezed it instead, his eyes wandered to their hands that spoke volumes.

He pulled into the empty driveway, seeing in the corner of his eyes Maxie's relief that her father wasn't home. He turned the car off taking his seat belt off and saw her trying to open the car door, "Wait." He looked at her to stay put before opening and closing his door and walking around to the passenger's seat, "Take these."

"You don't have to do this," she looked at him, "You got me home, I can do the rest."

He put his hands on his hips, "And what kind of friend would I be if I let you handle the rest by yourself?"

She stared at him, at the sweet smile of his and took the car keys from his hand. She grabbed her purse as he scooped her up in his arms where after closing the car door and locking the car, he carried her to the front door where she appeared to have a hard time unlocking the front door with her keys, "I can do it Spinelli."

"I know," he told her as he set her down and gently took the keys from her hands hearing her frustrations as he opened the door without a problem.

"I could have done it," she raised her voice annoyed that she couldn't open something as simple as a door.

"I know." He didn't say anything else for he didn't want to lead on to the idea that she might be helpless.

"Come on," he pressed his hand gently up against her back as they walked through the doorway.

He locked the door and then turned to her who seemed lost as to what to do next, "Here…" He took the purse from her hand and set it along with house keys on the small stand right next to the door.

Taking his jacket off he used it as a cover to take the two plastic bags of things along with his wallet and car keys and hid everything under his jacket. She stood there looking at the living room, staring off into space just like she had done in the car, just like she had done when the man that put her in this current state left her.

Spinelli rolled up his sleeves knowing he was going to have to take her upstairs to the bathroom, she needed to get this mans presence off her and a good bath or shower would do it, it would help a little bit he knew.

He turned to her as her eyes focused on anything but him, "Maxie…" He spoke her name but she didn't respond. He slowly licked his once again dry lips that were brought on by his nervousness not wanting to make a mistake in how he dealt with her fragile vulnerable state.

If she wouldn't respond to him calling her name then _maybe_, he thought, _maybe he touching her hand_ would do it, but instead his worst fears came true. She instantly drew her guard, backing away from him, "No…"

She realized she had been caught up in a flash back and when she looked at him, really looked at him, she saw what she had just done, "I'm so…"

He slowly walked towards her, getting down on one knee, calmly telling her, "Never be sorry." He hesitantly touched her hand, "Never." He kissed her hand.

He smiled dangling her hand in front of him, "It's going to be okay." He slowly rose from the ground, "It's going to be okay."

She nodded slowly putting her arms around him hearing him whisper it into her ear over and over again, "It's going to be okay, it's going to be okay."

He leaned out of the hug to see her tears as they both came to the realization that it was time to do what they both knew was unavoidable. His arm around her waist he bent down to wrap his arm around her legs feeling her cheek rest on his chest, his heart, letting each beat sing a lullaby to her as he carried her up the stairs, one step at a time to the dimly lit bathroom.

He took a deep breath having no idea how hard this was going to be, having now idea just how much he'd grow up today, having no idea that the man he once was, was no more. The Jackal had never fully recovered from the death of his faithful friend and now he'd never quite return after this morning.

She put her arms around his neck as his hand pulled the toilet seat down and set her on the pink cushion. Pulling the curtain of the bath tub to the left, he got on his knees and tightened the stopper in the drain and then turned the knob to feel warm hot water coming out of the faucet.

Rising from the pink rug, he walked over to the sink and grabbed a small pink towel and ran it under some cold water. Turning to her, he got down on one knee and looked up at still the most beautiful face he'd ever seen.

He gently dabbed the side of her face where he discovered that what he thought appeared to be dirt was actually dry blood. It made his blood boil that this man made her bleed; this man was going to suffer a long painful death when he got his hands on him.

She looked into his eyes that were still adjusting to what he discovered, but he wouldn't let her see that it bothered him because he quickly smiled and then moved on to wipe away the rest of the dirt off her face.

Pushing her blonde hair out of her eyes he smiled, "All better." He turned to set the towel back on the counter and then glanced at the tub that was almost full.

He wasn't sure what to do next, he didn't think she was strong enough to undress herself, but he wasn't sure if she would be comfortable with him doing it either.

He motioned to her torn blouse, but she put her hand up in defense, "I can do it."

He nodded, "Okay…" He backed away to the bathtub where he turned his back to her and watched as the tub filled up with water.

She glanced away from him and took a deep breath while closing her eyes, _you can do this._ She took another long deep sigh as she moved her hand to touch her white silky blouse, but without even touching it her mind flashed back to when he ripped it out and began rubbing her breast.

He heard her sniffles, he saw in the corner of his eye her hesitance every time she tried to touch her once favorite blouse, it was enough for him to know, for him to catch on, for him to get a clue, that she still needed him.

He turned the water off, wiping his hands on a nearby towel and then turned to her, "Its okay," he walked back over to her getting on his knees again.

Gently placing his hand on her chin, bringing her attention to him, he kindly begged of her, "Look at me."

She reluctantly looked at him afraid for him to see all the tears built up in her eyes, all the tears that were hanging on a thread, "I'll do it. I won't look, I'll be a gentleman."

"You promise?" She coughed as the tears from her eyes had ran down her cheeks into her mouth getting choked up into her throat, this was not how she wanted him to see her, bruised and battered.

"I promise," he sincerely smiled before slowly moving his fingers to her white blouse.

He delicately removed each piece of clothing, her blouse, her black bra, pieces that she had put back on after the man left her. He moved to her skirt knowing the area would be extra sensitive so he reiterated that he wasn't looking, even going as far as to close one of his eyes, anything to make her laugh, "I'm not looking, I'm not looking at your wonderfully gorgeous body…" He heard a chirp, a chuckle, a slight laugh and he smiled.

He glanced up at her to see her grinning while wiping tears from her eyes, "Only you…" Only Spinelli could make her laugh after one of the most horrible nights of her life.

He continued smiling at her as he slid off the skirt to reveal no underwear, but that wasn't why her sudden smile faded away.

As he set the skirt on top of her blouse his eyes immediately examined the cut on the back of her leg near her ankle, "You were right, it is a small cut," he looked up at her grinning only to follow her gaze where his smile was no more.

He hesitantly raised his hand to her cheek seeing her frightened eyes that weren't frightened of him, but of how she looked, "Maxie…" He looked straight into her eyes, "You are still the most beautiful woman in the world."

It was as if she didn't believe it. Every bruise, every cut, every pigment that wasn't her natural skin color had tarnished any idea that beauty still existed within her, "Really?" Her lip quivered as the tears hanging on a thread were snipped away.

He nodded, slowly leaning forward where her breaths became irregular and she began coughing at the tears that were getting choked up in her throat because they fled her eyes so quickly. Putting her arms around him she felt him scoop her up and carry her to the corner of the bathroom near the bath tub where he smoothly slid down the wall holding her in his arms, not a care in the world that she was naked, that his shirt was becoming damp or that she was digging her nails into his skin accepting for the first of many times that she was raped last night.

Setting his chin on her frazzled blonde hair, he rubbed his hand along her back trying to sooth her in anyway he could, but what he didn't know was that the sound his heart beat, it's slow rhythm, is what calmed her down every time.

* * *

Next chapter: Spinelli has a surprise for Maxie as he continues to take care of her, both will confess something. Spinelli makes a visit to Crimson/well Kates office. Lulu and Spinelli meet up later on the docks, who will be lying to who? Milo tries to keep Spinelli from making a fatal mistake, is Dillon on his way home? Don't forget to review! Please!


	23. The duck

Chapter 23: The duck

**Author's Note:**

So I started writing this chapter, a continuation from the last chapter and decided that I had all these good Spixie ideas that came to about 20 pages of writing that I couldn't include some of the spoilers that I had hinted about this chapter. The next chapter will definitely move on from this morning scene, but I thought some of the stuff I wrote was just to cute to get rid of. So I guess it's a fluff chapter, but what's wrong with a little fluff I ask, nothing. Enjoy and don't forget to review! P.S. this chapter does have hints towards the future, take note.

* * *

She leaned her face away from his chest to see a not so perfect circle that was a shade darker than his sky blue shirt. Gracing her fingers over it, she glanced up at him worried that he might get mad, "I got your shirt wet."

"You did?" He pretended not to notice.

"Yeah," she couldn't tell that he was playing dumb, "I'm sorry."

"Maxie," he gently took her hand, "Stop apologizing, you did nothing wrong."

"Why does it feel like I did something wrong?" She stared at their hands.

He wasn't sure what to say, maybe if he asked her a rhetorical question she'd be able to figure out that she did nothing wrong, that this wasn't her fault, "Why do you feel like you did something wrong?"

Still looking at their hands she pondered the thought, "I don't know."

He looked down at her knowing this wasn't exactly a time in the conversation to lightly interrogate her, he knew if he waited, she'd eventually tell him everything without even having to pressure her.

"I mean," she paused as her voice became dark almost weary, "He said a lot of things to me last night," she played with her fingers in his, "That he'd been watching me, he knew you and Logan and my history with the police department, you know Coop, Lucky and Jessie…he said that he had attacked a friend of mine who got away …."

"Do you know who?" He needed to know for her life could be in danger.

"The only person I know is Sam," she glanced up at him, "Spinelli is there…I know this is crazy cause we watched him die…"

"He's dead Maxie, Diego is dead," he made sure of it in his own special way when no one was looking.

He continued with his sudden theory, "Which means...someone else attacked Sam the night she was hit by Monica." The plot thickens and Spinelli's mind began thinking of everyone that could be a suspect besides Logan.

She became quiet again almost trying to think of who else might have done it, who she knew that would do it, but no one came to mind, except Logan, but she figured Logan had enough sense not to come around twice.

"Why don't we talk about this later okay?" He stroked her blonde curls.

"Spinelli," she glanced up at him as she brought his warm hand to her soft cheek.

He liked the way she did that, the way she played with his hand; it gave him goose bumps, but at the same time gave him butterflies in his stomach, "Yeah?"

"I'm ready now, I mean can…" Her eyes wandered to the bath tub.

"Right," he picked her up, "You want me to set you in the water?"

"If it's not too much trouble," she looked at him hoping she wasn't asking for too much.

"For you?" He looked astonished, "Nothing is too much trouble for you." He slowly got down on his knees lowering his arms to the edge of the tub, "Its gonna be a little hot, so as I dip you in, lift your leg with the cut, you'll have to slowly get it used to the temperature of the water to avoid any pain."

"Alright," she knew that already, but didn't want to say anything. He'd been the sweetest guy so far in her life and after today no matter what happened in the future he'd still go down as the best man she ever knew.

He leaned over the tub and carefully placed her in the hot water seeing her eyes slowly close with relaxation to her sore body. Once she felt like she was all the way in the tub, she opened hers to see him remove his arms where she pulled herself up to touch his arms, "You're sleeves are wet."

"Eh, its just water, kind of matches the nice spot I have here," he pointed to his chest, "And here…" He teased before at last ending his humor with, "Don't worry about it."

He watched as she repeatedly dunked her head in the water to get her hair wet, but mostly he knew it was just to wake herself up from the nightmare. When she finally re-emerged after three dunks he gripped his hands on the bath tub edge before kneeling up from the ground, "Okay well."

He got up from his knees and grabbed two pink towels that were hanging up, "I'll put these here," he set them just outside the tub before sliding his hands into his pockets wondering what to do next, "I'm gonna go downstairs for a few minutes, I'll leave the door open, shout if you need me…" He saw her nod and began to back away to the door where his hands nervously grabbed the door handle, "Okay well um…" He turned his back to her as he opened the door all the way.

"Spinelli?" She called his name as he walked out of the room.

"Yeah?" He placed his hand on the door frame, poking his head in.

"Thank you," she smiled knowing it wasn't nearly enough to show her appreciation.

"Anything for my blonde one," he winked at her before leaning on a wall just outside her room taking a quiet deep breath while placing his hand over his mouth, hoping things would get easier from here on out.

He felt his phone rang and walked down the hall to answer it, "Damien."

Milo paused for a second hearing Spinelli refer to himself by his first name and then it dawned on him that things must be real bad if he's lost his sense of…well if he's lost his sense of the Jackal, "Spinelli, it's Milo."

"Hey," Spinelli placed his hand over his face, already feeling tired and it was only seven in the morning, "How's it going?"

"Good, we did everything that you taught me, bagged everything, took samples of everything we could and took a ton of photos, I hope you don't mind but we're on our way to the house," Milo glanced at Sam who tried keep her spirits up.

His hand rubbing his shoulder he sighed, "How far away are you?"

"Probably ten minutes?"

"Okay well can you go to the grocery store while I gather up her clothes and the things I got earlier?" He moved his hand back to his cheek as each step seemed to take its toll on him.

"Yeah of course," he saw a grocery store up ahead, "What do want us to get?"

"Flowers, those entertainment magazines, like uh People and Us Weekly, she loves those," he stalled until he could get to the kitchen where he looked to see if they had the things he needed.

"Is that it?" He looked at Sam who was making a mental note of everything he was saying.

"No, um, can you go to the freezer section near the ice cream and get a couple jugs of Ben and Jerry's chocolate chip cookie doe?"

"Alright," Milo moved the phone away from his mouth, "Ice cream, chocolate chip cookie doe."

"And some fruit, you know apples, grapes, bananas…"

"I know what fruit is," Milo annoyingly teased him as he parked the car, "I'm just kidding man, anything else, what about for you?"

"Yeah Pepto-Bismol," he wasn't joking either.

"It's that bad?" Milo sympathized with him.

"Words can not explain how I feel," Spinelli crossed his arms, "Milo we're gonna kill this son of a bitch."

"I thought you'd want that," Milo grinned knowing that's exactly what Spinelli wanted and Milo wouldn't have it any other way.

There was a pause on the phone, a deep sigh that Milo could hear. He let the moment take as long as it needed until he heard him speak again, "And do you think it's possible if…Actually never mind."

"No what is it?" Milo asked as he and Sam walked into the supermarket.

"Well can you call Lulu and tell her that you and I got busy doing something for Jason and that I'll call her," he knew what was supposed to be a fifteen minute trip had now taken over an hour and half.

"Um sure, can I ask why?"

"I'd rather you not," Spinelli rubbed his eyes.

"Okay I won't," Milo respectfully declined, "Is there anything else we can do? Do you want Sam to stay for a bit?" He thought maybe a woman; a close friend might be helpful.

Spinelli sighed as he walked out the kitchen to the couch in front of the TV, "I don't know, Milo, Maxie doesn't even know I've called you, how…"

"I understand," he knew it might make things worse, "Um her car is still at Kellys though," he didn't want to forget about asking about it.

"Right," he forgot about that, "Um when you stop by I'll give you guys the keys and then Sam or you can drive the car back."

Milo could hear how drained Spinelli was to the point of physical exhaustion. It was bad enough that Spinelli had barely gotten five hours of sleep in the past three days, but now he had to worry about yet another personal case, it made Milo nervous if not worried that if Spinelli wasn't careful he'd get himself sick.

"Okay man we'll be over shortly take it easy," Milo frowned before hanging up where he and Sam walked around the place getting everything on Spinelli's list.

Spinelli slowly moved the phone away from his ear closing his eyes wanting to fall asleep, wanting to relax, wanting to go back to last night where he could have changed everything, but that time had come and gone and he couldn't waste another minute dwelling on the past.

Before going upstairs to check on Maxie, he grabbed a Ziploc bag from one the dozen drawers he frustratingly looked through for ten minutes hoping that his efforts to find such a tedious thing wouldn't go wasted for he knew her clothes would be the most important evidence they had and yet it had already tampered with.

Finding what he needed, he put it in his pocket where he remembered something else he wanted Milo and Sam to get. Ten minutes later he quietly marched upstairs softly saying, "Blonde one?" As he walked into the room with his eyes closed.

When he didn't hear a response he quickly opened his eyes to see her dunked underwater with her eyes closed, "Maxie!"

She heard mumbles and instantly opened her eyes to see him kneeling to the side of the bath tub pulling her up from the water, "Maxie!"

"Spinelli!" She shouted in annoyance, "What are you doing!"

He realized instantly that he had misjudged the situation, she wasn't trying to drown herself, just trying to get her hair and face wet which to him seemed to take far too long, "Um I'm sorry." He quickly let go of her kneeling up from the tile, "I'm sorry I shouldn't have…"

"Yeah you shouldn't have," she snapped, "I don't have a death wish okay!"

He looked at her distraught, "I'm sorry, I made a mistake." He turned his back to her grabbing the bag from his pocket while hiding his embarrassed face; he had just unintentionally made things a lot worse.

She leaned up from the tub yelling at him once more, "I'm not helpless you know that?"

"I know Maxie," he grinded his teeth, "I know."

"Then why did you…" She saw him using a white handkerchief to place her clothes into the bag, "What are you doing with my clothes?"

He turned to her, zipping up the bag wanting to raise his voice, wanting to ask things like _well what would you prefer I do with them? Do you want me to leave them?_ _Do you want me to leave the constant reminder of what happened last night?_ But he knew he couldn't yell at her like that, she didn't deserve it, she was just frustrated so he simply said, "Using them to figure out who hurt my blonde one."

She stared at his lost for words expression and immediately regretted how she handled everything, he was only trying to help, he was just worried about her, there was no need to explode at him, "Spinelli I'm…"

He wasn't smiling nor was he frowning, "Are you hungry at all?"

"A little," she bit her lip afraid to ask him for anything now.

"Alright," he stood in the door way, about to say something else when the doorbell rang.

He saw the worried look on her eyes that it might be Robin, Patrick or Mac, but he quickly addressed her fears, "Don't worry, I'll get it, you just stay here and relax, preferable not dunked under the water," he motioned with his hands slightly laughing with her chuckles as they both were suddenly able to reflect back on the moment with humor instead of anger, "I'll be right back."

He raced down the stairs where he saw at the front door Milo with grocery bags in his hands and flowers in Sam's hands, "Hey," he smiled in relief to see them.

"Hey man," Milo softly smiled, "Man you look like hell." He meant it in the best way, not trying to insult him, just stating the truth.

"Milo!" Sam said annoyed as she roughly brushed up against his shoulder before looking at Spinelli, "How is she?"

He invited both of them into the house where Spinelli grabbed the two bags of things he found earlier and led them into the kitchen where he took a quick glance at the stairs. Taking Milo's grocery bags after she set the vibrante red, yellow and white sunflowers on the counter, Spinelli handed him the bags of evidence he had, "They'll probably be nothing on her cell phone, but the knife you might find some finger prints, it's got her blood on in it."

Milo looked up at him wanting to ask what exactly he meant when Sam came into his vision, "Why didn't you take her to the hospital?"

"Because it was a small cut, I checked out her leg, it's a fairly small flesh wound," he didn't know why he was really explaining, Milo wouldn't have questioned his actions, but Sam wasn't so sure if this was the right thing to do.

"When are you going to take her down to the station?" Sam slowly eased her hands into her pockets, just curious, just wondering what they were really going to do.

"When she wants to go?" He looked at her having no idea.

"Spinelli she's never gonna want to go," she knew she was right.

Milo felt a little tension building, "Guys, let's just give her today and maybe tomorrow and then we'll see." He meant that statement specifically for Sam to hear for he wanted to do it Spinelli's way, just cover it up if they had to, but Sam wasn't so sure that was the best for she thought the only way Maxie would truly be able to get passed what happened is to go to the police.

"Fine," Sam crossed her arms walking away from them.

Milo looked away from her, "Don't worry Spin we'll take care of this stuff. I um found the things you were looking for, there just happened to be one of those party stores nearby and well you'll have to tell me how it goes. I also called Lulu, she didn't suspect a thing, but she seemed really disappointed, she said she had something really important to talk to you about." Milo wanted to know exactly what was so important, but Spinelli never led on.

"It's a long story, um you guys better get going," he walked with them out of the kitchen to the front door.

"Sam," Spinelli quietly called her name, "Thank you for helping."

"No problem," she slowly said with a smile forming on her lips, "I just wish this had never happened in the first place."

"Me too," he frowned at her before remembering to grab Maxie's car keys, "I almost forgot." She took the keys from his hands walking out the doorway to the car knowing Milo and Spinelli needed to exchange words.

Milo glanced up stairs, "I put guards on the house here, the Metro court, where ever she goes and I also put guards on Lulu."

Spinelli nodded, "And Sam needs guards too."

Milo glanced at Sam who was now sitting in the car, "Sam?"

"Milo," he waited for Milo to look back at him, "He said her friend got away."

"But…" Milo looked somewhat confused, "I thought."

"We thought wrong, Diego didn't attack Sam the first time, which means…"

Milo finished his sentence, "Which means we've got our work cut out for us."

Spinelli nodded, "I'll talk to you later?"

Milo nodded, "Yeah." He shook Spinelli's hand, "Don't push yourself."

Spinelli laughed while yawning, too tired to say something.

"You don't have to say anything," Milo laughed as he backed away from the door with the other bags of evidence in his hand.

Spinelli watched as Milo jumped into the driver's seat where Milo began waving him goodbye and hearing Sam's words, "He's different."

"He'll be back," Milo assured her as he put his waving hand down on the steering wheel.

She watched as Spinelli closed the front door, "How can you be so sure?"

Milo glanced at her, "I'm not, I'm not really sure of anything right now, but there is hope." He put the car into reverse before looking over his shoulder as he pulled out of the parking space.

"Hope, hmm." She looked away from him as they drove down the road where she began to invest her thoughts into this thing called "hope" that she knew once existed in her, but after all the things that had happened to her lately, she had lost her sense of hope, but maybe Spinelli would be the one to reassure her.

* * *

Spinelli walked upstairs to the bathroom where he once again closed his eyes, "Permission to enter."

"Permission granted," she rolled her eyes at how goofy he was being.

She watched his eyes open, but didn't notice his hands shuffling in his pockets, "Who was at the door?" She asked as he stood in the door way.

He didn't expect her to ask so quickly who was at the door so he had to come up with something quick, "Girl Scouts."

He walked towards her getting down on his knees, "Like I'm not fat enough," he joked, "Those girls Maxie," he nodded in disapproval of Girl Scouts, "I swear if you ever have a little girl, no way am I ever buying cookies from her."

She looked at him disappointed that he wouldn't buy cookies from her own future hypothetical daughter, "You better!" She splashed him, "You'd break her heart!"

"Oh well, I wouldn't want to break her heart," he teased as he leaned his elbows on the edge of the bathtub, "I guess a box of those thin mints would be okay, just as long as their not twenty dollars a box."

She rolled her eyes, but then realized by the time she had a daughter who was old enough to be a brownie, a box of cookies would probably cost that much, "Just think, it's a cookie that'll give you minty breath."

"But a dozen calories, you don't get a body like this," he pointed to himself, "Eating cookies."

"No just barbeque chips," she sarcastically smiled.

"And I've never looked better," he grinned back with a tease.

"Spinelli!" She playfully laughed while touching his chest.

"There's that smile," he softly smiled taking her hand that was gently touching his chest.

"Oops got your shirt wet again," she nervously smiled as her eyes gazed up at his and she slowly moved her lips, "Guess we'll have to do something about that."

He looked at her wondering what she was doing, "Maxie…" He glanced down at her fingers that were unbuttoning his shirt.

It was like someone had stabbed him in the heart and was evilly twisting the knife cutting of his oxygen supply; "Max…" He subtly stopped her hands from doing anything else.

She glanced up at him wondering why he stopped her when she saw his face and leaned away hurt by his displeasure.

He hated that he had to reject her like that for he knew she'd take it the wrong way, "It's not that I don't want you," he buttoned up his shirt.

She glanced up at him, _then what?_ She thought.

"It's that," he paused looking away from her, shy, "I want you to want me."

She saw his eyes that didn't believe she'd ever want him, "Spinelli," she touched his cheek bringing his attention towards her eyes, "I want you."

He didn't believe it and how could he? She wasn't exactly in the right shape or mind to think that she wanted him, "If we ever get together, I want us to do it…" He paused at the pun he put in place.

"Yeah," she chuckled.

"If you and I ever wanted to be more than friends, I would want us to be together on our time, the right time when we're in love, not because you need to prove something to yourself," he knew that's exactly why she was coming on to him. It was about last night, it wasn't because she loved him it was just a weakness of hers to use sex as a weapon of defense, to put up walls, but she wouldn't get her way this time.

He could see she was still disappointed perhaps even offended that she would sleep with him as a way to prove something to herself, "I want everything we do to have meaning, to be special." He tried to look into her eyes, "Now just wouldn't be right, I'd feel like I was taking advantage of you."

She looked up at him comically smiling, "Spinelli…"

"Well I would," he huffed humorously, "You are someone that's worth waiting for…" He couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth so he quickly added, "If my feelings ever developed into something more than friendship."

She stared at him thinking about his words and surprisingly liked what he said, "Alright." She smiled almost excited for this was new, fresh and yet just another thing convincing her that maybe her relationship with Spinelli, whatever it currently is, could turn out to be the one relationship that survives from all her others, maybe he was her destiny all along.

"Good," he excitedly smiled with his own thoughts pondering what their future could be; "Now how may the Jackal assist you?" He put his hand into his pocket grabbing hold of the item he wanted to surprise her with.

"Um, well, could…if it's not asking a lot could you wash my hair?" She formed a smile in the corner of her mouth.

"Why of course," he glanced up at the rack of bottles, "Just tell me which out of the one hundred bottles here you use."

She laughed as she turned her back to him and plainly sat in the tub, "Erbel Essence."

"Of course, the stuff that makes women wild in those commercials," he grabbed the shampoo.

She looked over her shoulder with a silly grin on her face, "Spinelli what are you insinuating..."

"Um nothing," he nervously squeezed the shampoo into his hand, "Nothing at all." He ran his hands through her hair.

He lathered her hair up pretty nicely, tons of soapy bubbles forming, "Okay close your eyes." He grabbed a cup from the cabinet under the sink and filled it up with water.

After rinsing her hair he looked at the bottles of conditioner, "Same thing for conditioner? _Erbel Essence_," he added a pleasant emphasis to the name.

"Yes," she tried to keep a straight face at the ways he was trying to humor her.

He squirted conditioned into his hands and then as he began to wash the ends of her hair, he noticed something on her neck, it wasn't a hickie thank god, but a big black bruise wasn't any better. He quietly finished washing and rinsing the ends of her blonde curls before he instinctively grabbed the mesh body sponge and traced it along the back of her shoulders and neck.

"Here," she handed him the soap knowing what he was up to now, "I can't exactly reach their so…"

"Yeah sure," he motioned to grab the soap when it fell out of both their hands, "Shoot sorry…" He felt around the water trying to find it, "Got it."

"Um Spinelli," she glanced up at him while shifting her body so he saw that he had infact gently graced her breast.

She watched as his mouth dropped and his eyes grew horrified, "I'm so sorry." He quickly took his hand of her breast and grabbed the soap that was now visible while thinking to himself _damn it not again._

She turned away from him with a nervous grin on her face knowing he must feel embarrassed seeing this was the second time he had accidentally touched her. As he washed her back he silently cursed himself on what an idiot he was which made him so angry, he mumbled his incompetence.

"Everything okay?" She asked with a grin still on her face knowing he was probably still cursing himself for the boob grabbing at least that's what she hoped fueled his anger and not the fact that she had some bruised marking on her back.

"Yup great," he grinned as he finished stroking the sponge along her back, "Done."

He leaned away from her as she turned to him, "Thank you."

"No problem," he reached for his pockets, "Now while I'm downstairs, this little fellow," he cupped his hands hiding the contents.

"Spinelli if that's a frog or a worm or something slimy," she leaned away from him.

He sunk his shoulders, looking at her wondering why she would think he'd give her something that would upset her, "Relax."

He opened up his hands, "What's a bath without a duck?"

"Spinelli it's so cute!" Her face lit up as she took it from his hands admiring the fact that it wasn't just a normal yellow duck, it had a police uniform on, "Where'd you get it?"

"Does it matter?" He looked at her unable to wipe the huge grin off his face.

She nodded, _no of course it doesn't matter_, "You are such a kid."

"Eh," he shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe."

"Well I love it," she glanced up at him.

"I thought you would," his grin turned into a soft smile, "He'll watch over you when I can't."

For some reason those words seemed to have a final ring to them, almost like he was saying goodbye or hinting to a future time where they wouldn't be together.

"Like right now," he got up from his knees.

"You're leaving?" She hoped he wasn't.

"Yes, as in I'm leaving the bathroom, to go down to the kitchen. Am I leaving you? Not unless you want me to."

"No, stay, stay forever," she found herself caught up in the moment which wasn't at all sappy, but in that one second she couldn't remember ever feeling so happy and yet horrible at the same time. Horrible not because of him of course, but there was only one person who ever made her feel a range of emotions, there was only one person who could make her feel happy in times of great sorrow and his name was Damien.

"I think you father might have a problem with that," he playfully crossed his arms as he backed away to the door, "I'll be down stairs if you need me I probably won't check up on you for another ten-fifteen minutes."

"Okay," she looked away from him squeezing the water out of the duck.

He smiled that he had given her something that seemed to lighten up her mood and the stress of the situation, "Alright holler if you need me." He took one last glance at her before cheerfully walking downstairs to the kitchen where he put his chef's hat on and began cooking a surprise for her.

She rested in the tub for another ten minutes before releasing the stopper in the drain and slowly pulling herself up to edge of the tub and bending down to grab a pink towel. Drying herself off, she wondered if she had enough strength to even stand up and walk to her bedroom to grab her white silky robe. _Spinelli did say holler if I needed anything_, but she quickly changed her mind wanting to surprise him, show him that she could get around the house, maybe she was trying to prove something to herself like he guessed earlier.

Whenever Spinelli started cooking he always got distracted, distracted to the point where he lost track of time and suddenly he had been in the kitchen for half an hour cutting up fruit, making French toast, eggs, just whatever, it was a secret hobby of his that he only showed to a few people, well not even that, one person, Maxie.

Glancing at his watch he realized it had been a long time since he checked up on her so he quickly took the pan off the stove and raced upstairs to see the bathroom door was closed, but the hair dryer was running. Not wanting to seem over protective he walked back downstairs and continued to prepare breakfast.

Combing her hair as she held the hair dryer, she tossed her hair back forth trying to dry it to completion when her eyes enclosed in on a dark marking between her neck and shoulder. Turning the hair dryer off, she quietly set it down on the counter where her fingers began to trace the collar of her silky robe. Following the stitching, she stopped at where she knew the black bearing was hid and delicately lifted up the fabric so she could get a good look which just like the rest had burned a painful memory into her mind.

Slowly touching it, her eyes closed and suddenly her hands grabbed hold of the counter as she flashed back to the precise moment he gave her the marking. It was in that instant she wished she had Spinelli by her side to hold her to tell her that everything was going to be okay and then she remembered the duck. Opening her eyes, she glanced at the tub seeing the duck.

_He'll watch over you when I can't._

His words like his heart beat soothed her soul to the point where she was able to walk over to the tub and pick up the child's toy and smile at it once more feeling the presence of the man who gave it to her.

Spinelli opened the cabinets looking for plates, "Aw ha." He triumphantly smiled in his discovery of something so petty and then quickly walked over to the kitchen counter turning the plate into a work of art. He placed a medium sized pancake in the center of the plate before cutting up triangular slices of strawberries and placing them around the diameter of the pancake in hopes his creation looked like a beaming sun or maybe just a sun. On top of the pancake, he placed a slice of French toast where he cut two slices of bananas and used them as eyes. Taking two blue berries he placed them on the bananas and then cut two slices of apples and used them as eye brows. He knew all it was lacking now was a nose and a smile so he took a grape and used it as a nose and then sliced an orange and wall ah, the perfect sun with a face. He threw a wash cloth over his shoulder before placing the plate on the table where he stood back placing his hands on his hips knowing he had gone a tad over board, _but_ he thought, _it sure was pretty to look at just like she was_. In the moment his thoughts began racing of her, he saw her in the corner of his eye walking downstairs.

He quickly walked out, "Why didn't you call for me?" He didn't want her walking around the house yet.

"Because I knew you were busy doing whatever it is your doing in there," she sweetly smiled as her eyes wandered away from him to the kitchen.

He met her at the last five steps, "But why walk when I can carry you?"

"Because then I'll get used to it," she was slightly annoyed for her feelings had developed so quickly over the past couple of months that she knew if Spinelli ever left her life the void he filled would become a hole yet again.

He leaned in closer placing holding his hands behind his back, "And the downside to that is…" He stopped just inches from her face.

His face, his eyes, his lips, the temptation she felt at the moment to restrain herself from a kiss that she knew was forbidden at the time, she stood their stumped, "Okay there isn't one."

"That's what I thought," he formed a bright grin before sweeping her off her feet.

Never had she known someone who was spontaneous all the time, but then again she had never met anyone like Spinelli, he really was a one hit wonder.

He carried her to the entrance of the kitchen where he gently put her down and put on his French accent, "_Um you'll have to excuse me, this is not my kitchen or my usual menu, but the chef promises he's prepared something to much of your approval_."

She wrapped her arm around his and walked with him to the table where she had yet to notice the plate because she was still staring at the bright assortment of sunflowers in front of her, "Spinelli how did you?"

"Chef Damien has friends in high places," he pulled out her chair.

"Oh he does?" She teased before taking her seat where she became speechless.

She looked at the plate that was too beautiful to touch, the flowers that were so bright they lit up the cold house, the smile of the man who in this moment was prince charming. She couldn't help but graciously get up from the chair and give him a hug, "I don't know what to say." She closed her eyes as she hugged him differently then she had earlier.

She slowly eased out of his arms looking straight into his blue eyes, "You've turned this whole morning into something...I don't even know how to describe."

She placed her hand on his cheek, "Thank you." She looked into his eyes once more before slowly kissing his cheek and whispering, "I will never forget this."

For a brief instance his eyes had closed as his heart melted. It was in the way she spoke that made him appreciate her more, care for her more, love her more than Lulu, than any woman in his life or any other woman he'd ever met.

Feeling her cheek against his, he opened his eyes to see her slowly leaning away from him to take her seat. Letting her hand slip from his, he turned away from her to the counter where he grabbed his own plate of eggs and toast and sat diagonally from her.

Her eyes glanced away from her colorful canvas to his less inspired plate and she found herself having a hard time keeping a straight face.

"What?" He looked at her as his fork stabbed a portion of his scrambled yellow eggs.

"Well…"She huffed humorously, "You're plate is just so bland compared to mine," she joked.

He looked down at his plate and then back at hers, "Oh."

"Which is why," she picked up a grape, "I think we should…" She raised her hand to his mouth, "Share."

He looked at her shy as the grape got closer and heard her say, "Open up Spin…"

He nervoulsy opened his mouth to see her playfully toss the grape in his mouth, "Hmm yum." He grinned trying not to blush any further that they were feeding each other and yet were only friends.

As they playfully fed each other, Spinelli's phone rang three-fourths of the way through breakfast, "Hello?" He only answered because it was Milo.

"Hey, sorry to bug you and all, but the contractors can set us up a meeting today at noon, you in…maybe?" Milo sat at his desk looking through a few papers, specifically post-its of people who called them about setting up meetings today.

"Um," he watched as Maxie was putting a strawberry in her mouth, "Um why don't you have Sam go in my place."

Maxie looked up at him wondering what it was he was trying to get out of because as much as she enjoyed his company, she knew he was busy, he couldn't just drop everything, he had too many people depending on him.

"Sam? Why?" Milo wondered what business of it was Sam's.

"Because Sam has good instincts about this sort of stuff and seeing as you and I have no idea what we're doing, she'll keep them from taking advantage of us," he opened his mouth as Maxie leaned in with a blue berry, "What is it?" She whispered.

"It's nothing," he whispered.

Milo thought he made a good point about Sam, maybe she should tag along just for the heck of it, "But I still think you should be there."

"Well it's not really a good time Milo," Spinelli looked away from Maxie getting up from his chair, "I'm busy."

"I know you're busy," Milo annoyingly rolled his eyes, "But this needs to take some priority, you can surely take the time to go to a few meetings so we can get construction going by maybe as soon as tomorrow."

She could hear Milo raising his voice on the phone to Spinelli who just leaned his back against the counter with his hand over his tiresome face, "I share your frustration, why don't you go to the penthouse, upstairs in my room are the blue prints."

"Spinelli," Milo groaned.

She got up from the table walking towards him, "Go."

He looked at her confused as Milo began talking while removing his glasses, "I know you want to be there for her, but man we've been planning this for a long time, don't bail on me."

"I'm not gonna bail on you," Spinelli pulled the phone away from his ear as Maxie stopped in front of him.

"Go," she repeated as she leaned over putting her arms around him.

"I don't have to go," Spinelli slightly raised his voice, "I can stay."

She rested her chin on his chest, "Spinelli…"

Her charm some how broke his protest and he moved the phone back to his ear, "What time is the meeting?" Spinelli looked at his watch it was eight o'clock now.

Milo put his glasses back on, "Noon, Diane is going to meet us there along with a few other execs so we can get it all planned out, the meeting should be over in three-four hours tops."

"Noon," Spinelli looked at Maxie who continued to encourage him, "Go…"

Milo could hear Maxie's voice in the background encouraging him to not only leave, but "You can come home when it's over."

"Hey Spin," Milo spoke up, "Sounds like a good deal to me…" He teased and Spinelli rolled his eyes, "Milo I'll be there, where's it at?"

"The Metro Court, Jax booked us a private meeting room, it's just one floor up from Crimson," Milo was actually quite impressed with the way certain people were taking a liking to their agency.

"Alright I'll see you there."

"What was that about?" Maxie asked as Spinelli moved his phone away from his ear into his pocket.

"Well," he gently grabbed hold her wrists and brought her back over to the kitchen table where she took a seat.

"There's something I've been meaning to tell you," he picked up the plates from the table and placed them on the counter.

She looked at him wondering not only what it was, but if it had anything to do with the mob or Jason and whether it was dangerous.

He joined her at the table scooting his chair forward, "Maxie when little Michael was shot, it changed everything, it not only changed Jason, Sonny, Carly and Jax…It changed us all ways we never thought it would."

She intently looked at him understanding everything he was saying, "I know it changed Robin too, she raised him as a baby she still can't believe he's going to be in a coma the rest of his life."

He nodded as he looked down at his fingernails that were rubbing against each other, "The thing is we never expected nor did we anticipate the enemy to target a child even if it was an accident we never thought a child would be hurt because of the violence we live in."

"They live in, Spinelli," she leaned in, "You're not a violent person, you don't live in violence."

He quickly jerked his head, "Ah, but see I do. I live with Stone-Jason and I've seen more violence than I ever expected to see when I came here." He got up from the chair turning his back to her, "I've been shot at, kidnapped, I've been blackmailed, I've had to run from the police, I've been in suspicion for murder…" That was his last offense, when the police thought he killed Georgie.

He turned to her, "These are not normal everyday activities and they certainly shouldn't be for someone who wants a family some day, a wife and children," he looked up at her hoping she wasn't getting the idea that he wanted those things with her, he could, but it would appear very awkward if she got that impression.

"What are you saying?" She looked at him wondering why he had so much defiance against the people he'd been working with for years.

"I guess I'm trying to say that I'm leaving the mob, I'm getting out while I can, so that ten years from now I'm not like Jason or Sonny, I'm not wishing that the people I love and care about won't have to pay for my mistakes…" He put his hands on his hips wondering what she thought about it, "What do you think?"

He began pacing around the kitchen, "Because I haven't told Jason yet and the god father, oh he's probably going to kill me and I…I have no idea if..."

"Spinelli," she could see he was panicked, but more over nervous.

He stopped, "Yeah?" He put his hand to his head almost scratching it like he was in thought, "What are you thinking, am I way in over my head because Milo and I are opening our own PI agency and…" He continued to rant.

"Spinelli," she said again to get him under control.

"I'm sorry I'm ranting, I'm speaking Spinelli too much aren't I?" He looked at her worried.

"Well," she slowly rose from her seat, "If you're wondering what I think about this…" She walked towards him where she stopped in front of him, "I think it's great." She put her hands on his waist, "I think it's great you want to change your life around."

He hoped she would think that, but at the same time that was the only 'bad boy' characteristic he had in him. Would she even like him if he became a good guy? Because all the guys that she had been with even though a majority of them had been police officers they were still bad boys at heart where as the boy, the man that Maxie and this town had grown to know, was a good guy at heart.

"Really?" He stood there, "Cause…Cause I…"

"Shh…" She put her finger over her mouth wanting his nervous blabbering to stop.

He sunk his shoulders feeling like he was a nuisance, a bothersome right now, "I'm sorry I shouldn't even be…"

"Spinelli," she gently hit his chest trying to get his attention, trying to get him to calm down, "One thing at a time." She formed a smile on her face.

"First I think Jason will be happy that you're leaving, he'll miss you I'm sure, but I don't think he's going to kill you. Secondly, I think what you're doing is great, not just because you are good at being a detective except for that one time where we got stuck in the sewer and I ruined my favorite shoes…"

"Yes right," he smiled rolling his eyes as the moment flashed in his head.

She sincerely touched his arms, "But I think the way you want give this future wife and children, this future family of yours a happy safe life, I think it's really honorable of you." She smiled differently towards him like she wasn't just proud of him, but thinking one day into the future where she might be the wife in his dream.

"So you don't think…"

"No I think its fab, really," she nodded, "So the meeting that's taking place today is about…"

"It's about starting the business up, getting the construction done in time for opening of the Haunted Star," he led her to the living room where he explained all their ideas and plans for their business including the Taylor building they purchased yesterday.

"The Jackal PI," she said the name as if it was going to be famous one day, popular, a name that everyone was going to know at the mention of a syllable.

"Yeah," he smiled as they sat on the couch where he began yawing, "Sorry…" He put his hand over his mouth, "Just…tired."

"Yeah I can tell," she sweetly grinned while her hand rested against the side of her head, "Spinelli…" She slowly spoked wanting him to take her next words to heart.

He looked up at her where he yawned yet again, "I'm sorry, suddenly I just can't keep my eyes open," he pressed his pupils before looking up at her again, "You were saying."

She gently touch his hand, "Spinelli I don't want you to push yourself over this, over what happened to me."

He looked at her taken back, "No."

"Spinelli you're busy enough as it is, it's okay if it takes weeks or months for you to figure this out, there's no rush," and to be honest maybe she didn't really want to know who raped her until she got over the fact that she was raped.

"No my priority turns to you," he nodded in disagreement.

"Spinelli please don't push yourself like you did with Georgie," she pulled herself closer to him on the couch, "I know you want to get the guy that did this to me…" She paused seeing his unsatisfied expression with the way she was leading the conversation, "And I want to get him too, I want him to pay, but…"

She tenderly touched his hand, "It does me no good to have him brought to justice if I have to lose you in the process," she could see the dark bags under his eyes now, "I need you to take care of yourself…"

"And I'm telling you I can handle this," he rubbed her hand, "Really…" He sighed as he began to yawn again, "God I don't know what's wrong with the Jackal…" He put his hand over his mouth.

She huffed humorously, "I know what's wrong…" She curled up at the opposite end of the couch, "You need a nap."

"Naps are for kids."

"So are rubber ducks," she glared at him.

He took her glare on, challenging her to a staring contest when she became frustrated, "Spinelli!" She grabbed his hand pulling him towards her, "And you think I'm the child." She rolled her eyes.

"Ow," he playfully laughed as he lied on his back scooting himself closer to her lap where she had a pillow resting.

"You are such a baby," she teased him for she didn't pull his arm that hard.

He rested his hands on his chest, "Aw…" He laughed as his eyes fluttered open to where the first thing he saw was her.

"Now," she softly whispered, "Close your eyes…" She hesitantly moved her fingers to his messy hair.

He slowly closed his eyes while yawning, "Good night Maximista…"

She silently laughed, not having the heart to correct him on the time of day, "Good night Spinelli." She watched him peacefully simmer down, her fingers touching his chocolate droppy hair, feeling for the first time all morning like she was finally able to bring him the sense of comfort that he had given her.

* * *

Next Chapter: Spinelli makes a visit to Crimson/well Kates office. Lulu and Spinelli meet up later on the docks, who will be lying to who? Milo tries to keep Spinelli from making a fatal mistake, is Dillon on his way home? Don't forget to review please! Only takes a minute! Thanks a bunch!


	24. Conversations to be remembered later

Chapter 24: Conversations to be remembered later

**Author's Note:**

Well I don't know what to say about this chapter, it's hard when you want to put in a lot of conversations from the same day and each conversation is say five or so pages long. For that reason this chapter is two parts. This chapter will touch focus on Maxie and Sam, Spinelli and Kate and Johnny and Claudia. The next chapter will have Spinelli and Claudia mixed in with a little Jason, Milo and Spinelli and then at last Spinelli and Lulu. As always enjoy, review, and if you have any questions, want spoilers, pos/neg comments about the chapter let me know, I know it's been kind of slow lately but I had some story structure work that I had to figure out. So sorry it's been a while.

* * *

She quickly opened her eyes at the frantic knocking at the door where she heard Sam's voice, "Spinelli! Maxie!"

Quickly glancing at the grandfather clock, it was 11:45, "Shoot Spinelli!" She placed her hand on his cheek, "Wake up."

"Mmmhhh what?" His eyes fluttered open.

"Spinelli wake up! I let you oversleep!" She lifted his head off her lap and ran as fast as she could to the door, "Sam!"

"Where's Spinelli?" She held up a suit where suddenly they heard Spinelli rolling off the couch hitting his head on the coffee table, "Ah…" He groaned.

Maxie gasped, "Spinelli…" She quickly walked away from the door where Sam tagged along closing the door behind her, "Spinelli!"

"Ah…" He held his head before looking at his watch to see it 11:50, "Shit!" He exclaimed as he slowly got up from the floor.

Maxie grabbed hold of his arm, "Don't panic!"

"Don't panic?" He slowly turned to her as she helped him stand up.

He looked away from Maxie to see Sam coming towards him, "I…I have to go." He walked passed her, "Maxie how could you let me oversleep!" He wasn't mad at her, just mad that he was going to be late and let Milo and their people down.

"I'm sorry Spin," she frowned feeling his yelling was a sign of anger towards her, not frustration.

He quickly looked back at her, fussing with his fingers, "No don't mistaken me blonde one, I'm not mad at you, just frantic." He looked back at Sam.

She held up his suit, "Good news, I picked up the blue prints, Lulu was there so she let me right in," she handed Spinelli the suit.

Maxie's eyes narrowed in on Sam's face as Lulu's name was mentioned with her thoughts buzzing of what Lulu was doing at his place, but moreover why it sounded as if Spinelli had once again forgiven Lulu and the two were still friends.

"Did you tell her where I was?" He looked at her worried while Maxie glanced at him taking note of his expression.

"No I didn't, I just said that you and Milo had some kind of miscommunication thing going on, but she told me to have you call her, she said it was really important." Sam insisted like she had more to say to him about Lulu, but Maxie intervened, "Spinelli go upstairs and put this on."

Sam could see Maxie was obviously bothered by her comments mentioning Lulu so she encouraged Spinelli, "Yeah go upstairs I'll call Milo and tell him you're on your way."

"I'm paying you overtime for this aren't I?" He goofily grinned with annoyance.

"We'll worry about that later, go…" Sam pushed him to the direction of the stairs.

"Ug…" He growled in annoyance as he sprung upstairs to the nearest room which happened to be Maxie's.

Sam glanced at Maxie who had a worrisome fear in her eyes, "This is all my fault."

"Hey," Sam sweetly turned to her, "Everything is going to work out."

"Sam, he talked about this for like an hour this morning, he's so psyched about it and now…" She sighed in uncertainty of what could have happened, "I'm just glad you arrived, otherwise…"

Sam playfully grinned as her hands fell to her hips, "Otherwise you and Spinelli would have lied there on the couch for hours sleeping," she teased like there was no downside to that, but Maxie wasn't convinced.

"Maxie believe me he's not angry. From what I heard, he didn't even want to go to the meeting today he was so smitten with you." She evilly grinned as she slid her hands into her front jean pockets.

"Well," Maxie slightly grinned knowing she was going to have to come up with some story about last night to explain how Spinelli was with her all morning.

In that instance Sam's phone rang, it was Milo who was pacing down the hall just outside the conference room, "Where is he!!"

"He's on his way Milo, listen to me," she asked him to breath in and out, "Walk in, tell them that your main associate will be late, offer them lunch from the hotel, you and I both know that Jax will cover the costs."

"But…" Milo knew that wasn't enough.

"Milo, he'll be at the Metro Court in half an hour." She quickly hung up knowing Milo would ask her more questions, "Sheesh."

Milo stopped in the middle of the hall, flabbergasted, "Great." He slid his phone into his pocket, pulled his jacket down before sliding his hand along it and then opened the door, "Good afternoon." He grinned at all the associates who were anxious to get started.

Sam slid the phone into her pocket, "Alright we're gonna have to do this double time if he doesn't hurry up, Spinelli?" She called from upstairs to see his head pop out, "Yes Fair Samantha?"

"You almost ready?" She shouted.

"Um….Just a sec…" He closed the door shut where he quickly tucked in his dark red dress shirt into his black pants.

He checked himself in the mirror, his hair was a mess, his tie was crooked, "The jackal is in deep trouble." He frowned at his representation, but knew he couldn't waste anymore time so he shoved his wallet and cell phone from his other pants and then as he hurried past the bed he grabbed his black jacket.

Quickly throwing his jacket on as he stepped down the stairs he saw Sam opening her mouth, "Hold that thought." He ran into the kitchen to grab his bottle of Pepto-Bismol.

"Spinelli," Sam shouted for him.

He emerged from the kitchen with the bottle in his hand, "I hate this color, why did Milo think dark red was a good color?"

"He said something about it being the colors of the sign, the theme of the business, dark and mysterious," she frowned knowing it wasn't the answer he was looking for.

"Well," he grumbled as he unscrewed the bottle.

"Spinelli?" Maxie looked at him concerned, "Are you okay?" She felt the urgency to run to him, to touch him, to take care of him if he was feeling sick.

"Don't worry about me," he took a gulp of the pink substance where he gagged.

"Spinelli," Maxie raised her voice motioning towards him.

"I'm fine." He screwed the cap on shaking off the bitter taste, "Sam where are the blue prints?"

"In your car," she walked towards him, "I found the spare keys in Jason's drawer and decided to put them in the car when you two crazy kids weren't answering the door." She grinned taking Spinelli's tie and fixing it.

Spinelli glanced at Maxie, a glimmer in his eye, knowing they had been up to nothing, but feeling as if they had been, like they were crazy kids at least he was anyway, a crazy kid falling madly in love with Maxie Jones.

Sam's voice broke his concentration, "There you go," she placed the tie neatly on his chest, "You'll do great." She took the bottle of Pepto-Bismol away from him, "You don't need this stuff, just that great mind of yours."

He grinned slightly rolling his eyes, "I take it you're not coming?"

"Nah," she wandered to couch, "I thought I would stay here, give Maxie some company." She gracefully fell on the couch.

He looked at her optimistic about the idea, but she glared at him, "If that's alright with you Maxie."

"Yeah sure," she nodded slightly smiling, "I don't have a problem with that."

"Are you sure?" Spinelli asked, but Maxie glared at him insisting she would be okay and for him to stop acting like she wouldn't be.

"Yes," she sat down next to Sam.

"Okay," he slowly nodded.

Sam looked away from Maxie, "You better get going."

He looked down at his watch, "Yeah!" His eyes grew wide where he began backing away to the door, "I'll see you guys later." He turned away from them where as soon as he reached the front door grabbing his keys off the stand nearby, she shouted his name.

Maxie could barely contain herself on the couch as she watched him slowly turn to her, "Spinelli…"

Quickly running to him wanting to say something that popped in her head the minute she saw him in his suit, it was as if he had been moving in slow motion for as soon as she heard his footsteps on the stairs, she gazed up at him thinking, well that was it, she wasn't thinking at all she was just speechless at the handsome man that made her weak in the knees.

Fixing his hair she then moved her hands to his shoulders, "I have to say…" She leaned in closer moving her fingers to his tie, "You're a tool in this suit."

He blushed, never had the word "Tool" been used with him in a sexual way, "You want me to stop by later?"

"Well yeah," she giggled, "Who do you think is going to carry me to bed?"

"Oh, is that all the Jackal's good for?" He smirked.

"Uh hum, Spinelli…" Sam pointed to her watch.

"Right," he looked away from Sam, "I've got to go." His hand reached for the doorknob.

"Good luck," she sweetly whispered.

He turned back to her with a sigh, "The Jackal and the body builder are gonna need more than wishful thinking I'm afraid."

"Well maybe this will help," she ever so gently placed her hands on his cheeks and pulled him into a peck on the lips.

He rolled his eyes, it wasn't even a real kiss, just her grazing her lips against his and yet he could feel his heart beating out of his chest, "Nah…I…definitely…don't…think…that…helped."

"I guess that just means we're going to have to give it another try," she looked straight into his blue eyes leaning her lips to his cheek knowing that probably made him more comfortable.

It wasn't what he expected; a kiss on the cheek, but it certainly calmed his nerves down, "Goodbye Maximista." He pulled her hands away from his cheeks and leaned into kiss her cheek muttering, "Have a fun time honey." He swung the door open and walked through the doorway closing the door behind him where he suddenly stopped and realized what he just said. Looking over his shoulder he was going to correct himself, but knew he had to get going. He'd have to explain his 'Have a fun time honey' words later.

Maxie stood frozen wondering what this feeling was that came over her, this feeling of possible contentment if this was any kind of hint as to what a future with him would be like. Him leaving for work while she stayed home to get the children, that at this point didn't exist, get ready for school before she ran off to her job, so they wouldn't be the Nelson family, but in the way they just said goodbye to each other no one would have guessed otherwise.

"So," Sam waited till Maxie walked back into the living room where she noticed that Maxie still had her fingers pressed against the cheek he just caressed, "Are you going to tell me what that was about?"

* * *

Kate walked onto the floor of her Crimson office seeing someone she didn't expect at their desk, "Lulu…"

Lulu swung around glowing, "Hey."

Kate tilted her head in confusion by her perky behavior, "Um what are you doing here?"

"Oh well," she grinned as Kate walked towards her, "It's odd, I woke up this morning feeling wonderful never better so I thought I'd just come to work."

"Right," Kate didn't exactly believe her words, "Well the new second assistant won't actually be in until tomorrow during our regular hours and so since today is Sunday, why don't you just write down yesterday's messages and then finish anything from yesterday that you didn't do."

Kate for some reason didn't by Lulu's sudden healthy behavior, but Lulu seemed like she was up to it, "Oh and by the way has Maxie stopped by yet?"

"No, she hasn't," Lulu tried not to look overjoyed that for the first time Maxie hadn't shown up for work.

"Oh well did she leave any messages?" Kate thought it was awfully odd of her not to show up for work, but then again maybe she had misunderstood that because today was Sunday, usually a family day not meant for work, that maybe she didn't have to come in.

"No nothing," Lulu looked away from her notes seeing that Kate was genuinely surprised perhaps even worried.

"Well when she gets in will you have her come into my office immediately or if she calls, put her right through?"

"Yeah, do you want me to call her?" Lulu picked up the phone ready to dial her number, but Kate nodded in disagreement, "No, I'm sure she'll call or come in soon."

Kate walked into her office where she plumped down into her seat thinking about the work she had to do today among other things like the fact that her son lives in Port Charles and is best friends with her new columnist, life was only going to get more hectic for her unfortunately starting with Lulu's voice over the intercom, "Jax is on line 2."

She picked up the phone, "Jax? What are you doing bothering yourself with business, you're supposed to be concerning yourself with Michael."

Looking through the window of Michael's room at Carly who was talking with Bobbie, Jax turned away, "I know well this isn't actually about our business, can I ask you for a favor as a friend?"

"Of course," she leaned back in her chair, "What's going on?"

"Well there was a meeting I was supposed to sit in on today to offer my business advice…to make sure the people involved weren't being taking advantage of because they're young entrepreneurs and…" He looked down at his watch, "The meeting started about twenty minutes ago, but I thought that maybe you could go to the meeting for an hour or so until I can get away."

She doubted she was the right person to sit in on a business meeting and offer advice because she didn't own a chain of hotels; she had a magazine that wasn't even a magazine yet, "Well…"

"Please Kate, it would mean a lot to me, all you have to do is make sure things are costing how much they should and just give your advice, they're really nervous and I'm sure your charm would definitely keep the meeting under control," he heard Carly coming from the room, "I've got to go, so what do you say?"

"Alright," she agreed slightly laughing at how grateful Jax was, "Thank you, it's on the next floor, I owe you."

Kate put the phone on the hook, "This should be interesting." She muttered having no idea how interesting the meeting would actually be.

"Lulu," she pressed the button on the intercom, "I'm going to be out for a few hours, take down my messages, I'll be upstairs attending a meeting for Jax."

Lulu looked through the planner not seeing a meeting planned at all, she began to worry wondering if she had made a mistake, "Um alright, but…what meeting?" She hesitantly asked for Kate as of late had no problem pointing out her incompetence.

"Oh not for the magazine, something about a new business that he's looking at and something came up so I said I would do him a favor and listen in," she leaned up from her chair and looked for a note pad to place in her purse in case she needed to report back to Jax on how the meeting went.

Opening the doors to her office she closed them behind her with her purse hanging on her wrist, "So Lulu that's where I'll be if you need me."

"Alright and Maxie?" Lulu wondered what Kate wanted her to do if Maxie showed up.

"Um tell her I'll call her back or I'll see her tomorrow unless she wants to wait for two hours which hopefully will be the latest," she walked to the elevator, "If I'm not back before you finish your work, I'll see you tomorrow and I'm glad you're feeling better." Kate surprised herself as well as Lulu who seemed once again shocked by Kate's compassion for her.

"Um thanks I think," Lulu looked at her odd, "Um, have fun."

The elevator opened, "Yeah I'm sure I will," Kate sarcastically smiled with excitement expecting to listen to a bunch of men discussing something of no interest to hers, gulf, hotels, restaurants, nothing that she would be able to pass on advice to.

Lulu slightly laughed before swerving her chair back to her desk to answer the phone that was ringing, "Ms. Howard's office…"

The elevator doors closed and Kate glanced down at her watch, "Only half an hour late." She looked up from her watch as the doors opened where as soon as she walked out she could see a man in the distance nervously waiting outside.

Spinelli paced the hall speaking utter gibberish to himself while trying to figure out how he could sell their idea to not only the contractors or the banks that they'd be borrowing money from, but to the other people that would try to get their business launched in two weeks.

Knowing there was only one conference room on each floor she walked towards the direction of the nervous man who came to light as she got closer where she felt her heart having trouble beating, it was Spinelli she realized, the man she was just told days ago was her son.

He noticed the woman's presence, "Ms. Howard…" He found himself just barely able to call her by her real name for it seemed like ever since this morning or really last night whenever Spinelli was nervous he'd begin talking in third person, the jackal and rolling Spinellisms off his tongue.

"Spin…Spinelli," her voice choked, "What are you doing?"

He wiped his hand through his hair while his other hand clutched his briefcase and a white tube that held the blue prints, "Um…" He nervously looked at her, "I'm about to mess up what could be the most important thing in my life."

She was taken back, crossing her arms, "I doubt that Spinelli from what I can see you've always been a smart young man."

He sighed with a smile, "Smart, but no confidence." He looked away from her putting his suit case down and the tube from under his arm, "No confidence that can convince a bunch of corporate raiders to invest or build or lend money to a bunch of wantabe detectives who come from working in organized crime."

_He had to be kidding_ she thought, there was no way the meeting she was about to walk in on was being led my Spinelli and whoever else, just her luck.

He turned to her with hands in his pocket, "I'm way in over my head aren't I?" He could see her blatant expression not sure of how to answer his question, "I'm sorry Ms. Howard forget that I troubled you, carry on." He motioned her to leave.

She looked at him surprised that he thought her to be someone who wouldn't care about his problems even though he was her son and had no idea if she wanted to be this involved, she couldn't just walk away, "I tell you one thing you're not gonna get anywhere calling us corporate raiders."

He glanced up at her subtle joke that didn't make him laugh, "Tell me Kate, Ms. Howard, the fashionista, how do you do it? How?"

She looked at his troubled face and found herself unable to ignore his pleas, maybe she was just helping him or maybe she was just silently trying out the motherly feelings that were growing within her, "Tell me, why is this meeting so important to you?"

He bit his lip while his eyes grew wide taking a deep breath coming to a certain inner revelation, "I guess," he placed his hands on his hips, "It's my chance to break free."

He faintly smiled, "Not that I don't love working for Jason or liked the life I had before coming here to Port Charles, it's satisfying to the man who wants to be alone for the rest of his life."

"Spinelli."

He quickly looked up at her wanting to prove her wrong, he didn't know why he wanted to do that, he just did, "You don't know a lot about me, but I've been alone most of my life…" He strolled to a wall nearby explaining himself to the woman whom he thought knew nothing about him.

She watched as his face, his once uncertain nervous expression turned into that of sorrow, a secret pain that he decided to share with her in hopes she just like others would understand why he was the way he was, "My parents didn't give a damn about me, plain and simple."

_That's not true_, she thought to herself, she did care, plain and simple.

"I never knew them nor do I really want to know them…" He looked at the wall across from him, not really noticing her change in emotions for he was too busy realizing that maybe it didn't matter, maybe it never really mattered to him who his parents were because if it did he would have hacked into hospital records, he would have got the information by now.

"You know Elizabeth Webber?" He glanced up at her realizing that she probably didn't. Someone as famous as Kate Howard doesn't know small towns people.

She cleared her throat as his words repeated in her mind over and over again, _nor do I really want to know them_, "Um yeah, I think." She remembered meeting the woman at Jason Morgan's trial and then at the hospital when she had to do her community service.

He spoke slowly, completely calm yet almost in a daze as he was remembering something from a year ago, "When she had her son, when she was in the hospital, Lulu and I went to go see the little baby Jake," he slightly smiled remembering how in rough times it seemed like he and Lulu even Jason and Lucky some how found a way in all the arguments to come together for that little baby.

"After Lulu had fussed over the baby, like most girls do," he light heartedly laughed, "I got to hold him and I think it's something I'll never forget until I have my own children." He slowly smiled in disbelief as he flashed back to a moment when he was sitting in a rocking chair in the room, "I looked at his smile, how tiny he was in my hands," he looked down at his hands, "how perfect he was," he slowly glanced up at her, "I remember looking up at Lulu and seeing this smile on her face like um…Mona Lisa, Lulu had this look about her and then she said "you'd make a great father someday" it was in that moment I thought of my own mother."

Kate nervously gulped the tears that were caught in her throat as he continued, "And I wondered…" He clenched his jaw before the tears he had been trying to hide slowly raced down his cheeks, "I wondered how she couldn't love me…" He raised his hand over his mouth trying to suck in all the tears that were making it impossible for him to say what he'd been wanting to say for a long time, "I wondered how she couldn't love me as much as I loved that bundle of joy who…" He pointed to himself, "Who I had no connection to, none whatsoever, I was a friend an outsider and yet I looked at the baby and wondered why the hell I wasn't worth it," his face showed disgust towards Kate, "I saw a glorious miracle in front of me and wondered why someone would turn their back on that, on a miracle."

She stared into his eyes, his blue eyes that were for some reason searching hers for an answer, an answer he knew she couldn't give, an answer she knew she could, an answer waiting to be revealed but never would be, the moment passed them by, it slipped through their fingers and now the opportunity they were so callously granted was gone.

He glanced down at the floor not able to say anything more. More than just sad, perhaps depressed at the years he spent resenting himself, so much time wasted, so much hurt that he didn't have to feel had someone just let him have the closure he so desperately needed to move on with his life, "I spent my entire life believing there was something wrong with me that I had done something wrong."

Had they not been in the hallway of a hotel, had they not been in a place where someone could see them, had they not been…in real life, if it were all a dream right now, she would have without a doubt ran to him, ran to him placing her arms around his neck, hugging him, telling him he did nothing wrong, explaining to him that every day she was away from him not a moment went by that she didn't think about him, that she didn't wonder what she was missing out on, what he looked like, what kind person he was developing into, not a moment went by that she didn't question the decision she made.

"You did nothing wrong," her warm salty tears ran over her lips that could barely speak the words that came out of her trembling mouth.

He slowly glanced up at her, "That's nice of you to say," his soft smile froze. Kate Howard was not the witch that Carly that Maxie that Lulu had described her to be, she didn't have to stop when she saw him, she didn't have to listen to him, she didn't have to sympathize, she didn't have to, but she did.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry," he felt guilty, "It's just my pathetic sob story," he felt kind of stupid now sharing it with her because she was no one significant in his life, just someone he knew because of the blonde ones and Mr. Corinthos sir.

Why did he feel compelled to tell her his story with as much emotion as he did? Had last night and this mornings events really changed him? Had the constant coming and going of people he cared for, Jolene, people he adored, Georgie, people he enjoyed, Michael, had their disappearance from his life turn him into the person he was right now standing before Kate Howard? Because surely Spinelli would not have unloaded such a story on a perfect stranger, but maybe this was the proof he was looking for. Maybe he wasn't Spinelli anymore, maybe he was becoming Damien, the matured, the much more compatible version to the world Spinelli was just getting used to, yes, perhaps there was more meaning to the tragic end of the people he held so deeply in his heart.

"So anyway," he knew he had yet to get the point of why the meeting was so important to him, he needed to lay out how incredibly lonely his life was before coming to Port Charles, "My grandmother also saw me as a burden, imagine that," he sarcastically grinned like the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, "And because I was never loved…"

Her heart sank, "Spinelli…" She didn't want to believe that her own son never felt loved.

He glanced up at her almost in a rage, in an annoyance that she kept doubting his story, "Look I'm not telling you this to make you feel sorry for me, okay?" He didn't want her pity and every time she said with sadness 'Spinelli' it made him feel like she was doing exactly that.

Seeing her somewhat shocked expression for the way he snapped at her, he quickly continued, "I had a hard time socializing with people, well actually they had a hard time socializing with me, but for whatever reason I was just weird to average folk, too weird to have any friends or to attract the opposite sex so when all the people in your life ignore you…you get used to being alone, just something you learn to live with."

Staring at the plain white walls, staring into bad memories like he had done for the past three minutes, he could feel the water works building up in his eyes yet again, "When you've lived without something you're entire life and then suddenly it's given to you, how do you go back to living without it?" He shrugged his shoulders glancing up at her, "You can't."

She knew exactly what he was saying; there was no way she could ever imagine becoming Connie Falconary again or living in the poor community she grew up in, it just wasn't an option, just like to him being alone wasn't an option anymore. In some weird way she understood him, maybe it was because her decision to give him up led him to being alone or maybe she was just looking for a connection; maybe Kate wanted more than she thought.

He leaned off the wall, "This meeting is a chance for me to keep everything I have."

She could see the cloud of false hope hanging over his head, "Just because you're not working for Jason, doesn't mean you aren't going to lose the people you care about, things happen in life, there are no guarantees, you do realize that right?"

"Yes," he looked at her like of course he knew that, he wasn't that ignorant or was he? "If I stay in the work I'm in, I'll lose them for sure."

She nodded no, but he tested her, "Michael is proof of that. Look at the Text Message Killer, enemies of Jason, Sonny and myself. I worked for his father at one point, he killed Georgie, Maxie's sister, the first girl who ever looked my way, who really thought I was special, I never had a single person in my life think I was special…"

She could see the bitter tears swelling up in his eyes, "And she died, she died because of me," he pointed to himself as he walked towards her, "I wasn't even in love with her and it changed me. Imagine if I lost someone I did love, I'd become unrecognizable…"

He looked away from her wiping away all his tears knowing there wouldn't be anymore running from his eyes, "And what scares me the most is that I'm pretty convinced I'm in love right now…"

In the cloudy fog of her tears streaming down her eyes she had an idea of who her distant son loved, but before she could even ask, he beat her to it, "If I ever lost her, whether it was to my job, to a lie, to death, all of which would occur from my work, I guarantee I'd leave town."

"People fall in love again Damien," she wiped away her tears, hoping they'd be the last.

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't…" He put his hands into his pockets taking a deep breath as the remainder of his tears left his throat, "She doesn't even know that I think I might I love her, I'm changing my whole life for this girl so she'll notice me and there's a hundred percent chance she's going to reject me, but what else is new right?" He laughed with a bitter taste of hatred towards his past.

Clearing his throat once and for all he made his final point as to why this meeting meant so much to him, "I've never had relationships that mean anything to me and now that I do…"

"Spinelli!" Milo shouted as he walked out of the room.

"Great," Spinelli sighed looking away from Kate who was suddenly working really hard to cover up her tears.

"I'm so glad you made it," Milo smiled in relief as his short sprint came to a stop.

He smiled in relief as well, "Me too, Milo I'm so sorry I'm late, but Maxie let me oversleep…"

Milo wandered his eyes to Kate hinting to Spinelli that he needed to watch his words even though he hadn't mentioned anything too suspicious.

Spinelli whispered, "Right," before looking back at Kate, "It's not what you think, she and I aren't…" He felt the need to explain in case Maxie some how got word of what he said and rumor spread of them getting together.

She was back to her poised posture where she didn't even look like she had been crying, "It's none of my business…" She chuckled, "What my employees are doing err well…I'll see you guys in there," she proceeded down the hall.

Milo was quite surprised as was Spinelli that Kate was making her way to the board room, the room they were just about to be holding a meeting in, "Spinelli," Milo brought his attention back to him, "Okay I just spent the past twenty minutes going over our financial situation with them."

"Great that's a good start," Spinelli picked up his briefcase and the blue prints where he heard Kate's voice, "Oh and Spinelli," she shouted as she was a few feet from the room.

He looked up wondering what she was going to say, "A lot of coffee and a lot of heart," she grinned, "That's how I do it."

He goofily smiled happy that she told him for he felt that this sudden unexpected moment between them would be an inside joke they'd think about later sometime in the future.

"What's that about?" Milo asked, but Spinelli just nodded laughing, "Nothing, come on, let's put on a show."

He walked down the hall with Milo where he put on a bright smile as he entered the room to see the eight or so clients including their lawyer Diane and Kate Howard, "Good afternoon, I'm Damien Spinelli."

"Damien," Diane spoke to him in a professional matter, "We already ordered lunch, I took it upon myself to order you your favorite drink, orange soda."

_A lot of coffee and a lot of heart_, Spinelli thought back to Kate's words where he actually glanced at her in the corner of his eye, Spinelli had his orange soda now all he needed to do was put his heart into this, seeing Kate nod at him to continue Spinelli stood strong and talked with a loud voice as if he had been doing this for years, "I apologize for being late, but…"

Kate interrupted, "But Mr. Spinelli was helping me on a technical problem with my magazine, that I and Jasper Jacks are running and we lost track of time."

"Well," an old man grinned, "That was very nice of you to help the lady. Tell me boy, what is it you want us to do for you today?"

Spinelli glanced at Milo, "Well…" He opened up his briefcase and gave Milo the proposals to hand out to the crowd before beginning his pitch.

* * *

Claudia walked into the study of her father's mansion and saw once again that her brother had failed to leave the area since she left early this morning, "Hey John…" She tried to greet him but he ignored her.

"John?" She asked again for his attention as she drew closer to the piano.

Johnny annoyingly sighed as his sister put her elbows on the deck of the piano, he realized she wasn't going away, "How's Michael?"

"You don't want to talk about Michael," she tried to once again clear him off the path of knowing about the boy they put in a coma.

He stopped playing the piano where he stood up from the bench, "Why so you can manipulate me even more?" He crossed his arms.

She became instantly confused, "What?"

"Michael is in a coma Claudia, a coma, we put him in," he walked around the piano over to the couch where his back turned to her, "He will never wake up and for the rest of my life I have to live with the guilt that I took that child's life away…" He turned to her raising his voice, "And for WHAT?"

"John I was going to tell you," she cringed realizing this could be the point where Johnny sides against her.

"When Claudia?" He turned away from her grabbing the newspaper on the coffee table, "Just after you told me that our family might be responsible for the deaths of two cops?" He pointed to the front page with the headline, **One dead, one missing, what happened to Port Charles Finest men in blue?**

"It doesn't say that," she grabbed the newspaper from him panicked that maybe she had misread something.

"No, it doesn't say we're responsible, but it sure does hint that we were," he stood there as she read the paper, "Like we don't already have enough targets on us Claudia, now we have to worry about this, two officers who not only were loved by the public which means the department won't rest until they find out whose responsible, but one of them is a Spencer, the son of my business partner and LULU'S brother!"

"Don't look at me like that!" Claudia warned, "I didn't have anything to do with this."

"Oh yeah, I'm sure you didn't," he nodded his head in disbelief before walking to the liquor cabinet.

"John why would I want to kill Lulu's brother, why would I want to complicate things between you two?" She threw the paper on the couch.

"I don't know, you tell me?" He looked away from her, pouring alcohol into his glass.

"John," she was quite offended, "Look I don't know this girl, but I can see that you obviously have it bad for her," she playfully touched his chin, "I know love when I see it." She saw his smile in the corner of his mouth, "I would never want to destroy your happiness."

She placed her head on his shoulder for a few minutes, "Desmond told me she stopped by last night. Did my brother…get lucky?" She teased leaning away hoping to see a playful grin.

_Wherever I go, whomever I meet, whenever I die, know…I'm yours forever._

He snapped out of his tender goodbye with Lulu and looked at Claudia with cold eyes, "Find out whose dad's visitor was last night, find out what your people know."

Gently stroking his hair she questioned, "John…Tell me what's upset you."

"Just take care of it Claudia, get me out of this mess, can you do that? Or do I need to question your loyalty?" He saw her speechless face that was still adjusting to the way he snapped at her, "Well do I?"

Taken back she realized what happened last night had been anything but happiness between him and the girl who had his heart, "No John, you don't need to question my loyalty."

She backed away from him as he took a sip from his glass, "How can you even ask me that?"

"Well," he shrugged his shoulders, "My life was pretty…well it wasn't dandy, but ever since you came back…"

"Do you want me to go John?" She cried, "Do you? Because I will? I'll go back to Milan to Italy to being shunned from this place, but I think you still need me!"

Her cries, the betrayal on her face, the hurt in her eyes that shed fear he would throw her out as her father did when she was sixteen, it convinced him that he was being unreasonable, "Claudia."

He turned to her, "I'm sorry."

"John I'm only trying to help," she pointed to her self, "I wouldn't be here if I didn't think I was helping you."

"I know," he calmly said setting the glass down and walking to her, "I'm sorry Claudia, I do need you." He put his arms around her, "I need your help."

"Okay," she leaned away wiping her tears, "I'll try to find out whatever I can."

"Alright," he nodded, "Just be careful, I have a feeling things are going to get worse before they get any better."

"Always looking out for me," she gently kissed his cheek before leaving the room where it wasn't long before she heard Claire De Lune fill up the cold mansion.

* * *

Sam looked down at the crossword puzzle in the People Magazine, "Here Maxie help me…"

Maxie glanced up from the article she was reading about The Bachelorette in an Us Weekly Magazine, "Yeah…"

"I'm just stumped, maybe you can figure it out, four letter word, starting with L ending in E," she glanced up at her hoping to revisit earlier afternoon's drama that Maxie had so quickly dismissed.

It took Maxie a few seconds for her to realize what Sam was doing, "Sam…"

"What?" Sam tried to act innocent, "I have no idea what it is."

Maxie glared at her, "Well I'll give you a hint."

"Okay," Sam smirked.

Maxie readjusted herself on the couch, "It's when two people, well you and Jason for instance."

Sam pretended to be further clueless, "Jason and I?"

"Well you two weren't together at first, right? Cause you were pregnant with Sonny's baby and Jason vowed to take care of you and that turned into friendship which turned into…" She hinted, but Sam lingered so close to each and every word of hers that she couldn't, well she decided not to guess the final word.

Maxie could see she wasn't catching on, "Okay maybe Jason wasn't the best example," Maxie thought for a minute, she couldn't mention Lucky because a) he might be dead and b) she wasn't sure if they were in love.

"No, I think I might know what you're saying," Sam pulled herself up on the couch, putting the magazine to the side of her, next to a pillow she had her elbow on, "It's when two people who started off as say strangers, they meet because events and people bring them together in which those events and people reveal a person that neither one of them ever knew existed…"

"Am I on the right track?" Sam asked knowing she was of course.

Maxie nodded, "Yes." Maxie assured her with her hand.

"It's in a moment that happens over the course of your acquaintance, it's in that critical moment where you look the person in the eyes and they say something to you…"

_I…I've never been in the position to give my heart, body and soul to someone if and when I do, all there is of me will be all theirs, until they wish to hand it back. _

"And suddenly you understand them like you never have before," she was going to continue but Maxie's eyes had since wandered away from her face as if she was retracing every step of how she and Spinelli met.

"It's a connection that can never be broken, a connection that convinces two people that they can't just walk away from each other as strangers because they realize they aren't strangers anymore their friends," she could see Maxie was definitely taking to her words.

Sam continued knowing her work wasn't done yet, "…friends who in time become best friends, the kind of friends who tell each other anything, who do everything together, who depend on each other to the point where they aren't really friends anymore," she glanced up at Maxie who was nervously holding her hands while biting her lip, in deep thought, "They're more, they realize their in…"

"…love," Maxie faintly said in disbelief before glancing up at Sam where she quickly wanted to cover up the way she had said_ love_, "The word is _love_ Sam."

"Love!" Sam rolled her eyes as if she was thinking 'ah ha!' and grabbed her magazine and pretended to mark it into the puzzle.

"You knew the word Sam stop acting like you didn't," Maxie annoyingly looked away grabbing her magazine and continuing to focus back on the article.

"Alright, I did, I'll admit it, but…" Maxie quickly looked up interrupting her, "But why did you…why did we just spend five minutes defining what love is?"

"Sometimes it's good to define what love is…" Sam insisted with a little smile forming in the corner of her mouth.

"Oh really?" Maxie glanced back down at her magazine just to spite her.

Laughing Sam responded, "Yes because how are you going to know if you're _in_ love if you don't know what it is?" Sam finished off seriously knowing exactly the root of Maxie's sudden annoyance at her little game, Maxie was coming to terms that maybe she didn't have just a crush on Spinelli maybe she was already in love with.

"Sam," she glanced up at her again, "Spinelli and I aren't in love…" Maxie tried to deny feelings that were just too complicated to deal with today; today she needed Spinelli as a friend, her best friend, not a boy friend, not a lover, just a friend.

"Who said Spinelli? In fact who mentioned you in this conversation," she sarcastically laughed, "For all you know I could be talking about Lucky and…I?" Sam lost the pleasant smile on her face.

A lot had happened last night, not just between Johnny and Lulu not just to Maxie or to Spinelli, but something had formed, a friendship between Milo and Sam at Jakes. Milo didn't get drunk last night, it was almost quite the opposite for the second they arrived at Jakes he had ordered a simple Miller Light while Sam had began throwing shots back trying to mend her broken heart. It was Milo that had driven her back to his place that had pulled her hair back as she got sick that had carried her to bed and refused the urge to kiss to carry on the sex that she desperately wanted to comfort her.

"Sam?" Maxie could see that she knew now about Lucky.

"Why didn't you tell me about Lucky?" Sam glanced at her in a hollow empty tone, not expressing anger or annoyance, just slightly disappointed, "Yesterday when you came over, you knew it then didn't you?"

All the words of confidence Milo had told her last night before she got drunk disappeared when she saw the Port Charles Herald earlier this afternoon. She had yet to take in the headline, the article and focus on what it all meant because she was so busy with Spinelli, but it seemed like now it was slowly hitting her.

"Sam," Maxie tried to defend her actions, "I over heard Lucky's name when Mac was trying to…I guess motivate the guys, I walked into tell my dad about the promotion and just heard something that I wasn't supposed to. I didn't want to lead you on or give you false hope, I just didn't know enough…"

She nodded trying to understand her, "So you let me believe there was hope when there wasn't…is there?"

"Sam," Maxie frowned, "I'm sorry, I don't know how to tell someone that the person they love is gone because I'm the one always being told I've lost the person I've loved. Please believe me I didn't want to hurt you, you're like the only best friend I have besides Spinelli, please don't stop..."

"Girl," Sam kindly looked at her, "I'm not gonna end our friendship over this, I understand why you…" She suddenly stopped, looking away from her.

Maxie watched as Sam's face changed a pale white color, "Sam?"

"Where's your bathroom?" Sam covered her mouth slowly getting up from the couch.

"Down the hall," she quickly pointed and watched as Sam ran down the hall, "Sam do you need my help!" Maxie was quite worried that suddenly her friend seemed sick as a dog.

"Nooo," Sam sighed as she closed the bathroom door and began throwing up.

Maxie looked back at the TV as her favorite soap, Hope Hospital began to start, but instead of gearing up to watch it since she had been too busy to catch up on it with her Tivo, she turned the TV off deciding she'd watch it on Soapnet later.

Minutes went by and Maxie became worried more so than before about Sam, but just as she got up from the couch to check up on her, Sam's phone rang. Seeing Milo on the caller I.D. she quickly picked up the phone and answered it, "Hello?"

"Maxie?" Milo's eyes became surprised to hear her voice as he watched the associates leave the meeting, it was now three pm.

"Yeah, um Sam is in the bathroom, how did the meeting go?" She smiled hoping everything went well.

"Oh well I'll let Spinelli tell you how it went," he glanced at Spinelli who was shaking the hands of a few people.

She was disappointed by the fact that Milo's tone didn't lead on to whether the meeting was a success or not, but she knew better not to ask, "Okay, you guys coming over now or is Spinelli at least?"

"Well Spinelli and I have a few more things we have to finish up and I was actually gonna take him out for a quick drink down at Metro Court restaurant before we come by, is there something you and Sam might like for dinner from there?" He watched as a few men walked towards him smiling, "Good meeting, looking forward to this…" They congratulated him by patting him on the back.

"Oh well you guys go have your drinks, have fun don't let me or me," she nervously repeated, "I mean…"

"Maxie we're just gonna have one drink and then we'll stop by," he saw Spinelli turn to him, "So will Spinelli know what you want from the Metro Court or…"

"Well you know I'm not really hungry and I…" She looked at the bathroom door, "I don't think Sam will be hungry either so…"

"Alright well I guess we can always order a pizza or something, I've got to go…" He hung up before Maxie could say goodbye.

"Spinelli!" He walked towards him in the now almost empty board room except for Kate and Jax who were discussing a few things, "Hey, we did it." He shook Spinelli's hand bringing him into a hug.

"Well," Spinelli leaned out of the hand shake to close up his briefcase, "I don't think we need to celebrate yet, we're in debt…"

"Yeah…" Milo tried to shake off the facts, "But we've got rich friends who helped us out and their not directly tied into the mob, I think we did well, I think we deserve a drink."

Spinelli excitedly smiled, he wasn't normally in the habit of drinking, but this was a special occasion, a celebration, one drink, if it was the right kind, wouldn't hurt, "I thought you were never going to ask, I could seriously use a little ungodly substance mixed with my nectar of the gods…"

Milo slightly laughed at not only at his words, but in relief that his friend was slightly coming back from his trip to adult hood, "Whatever man."

Jax turned away from Kate, thanking her for coming to the meeting before turning to Milo and Spinelli in the distance, "Guys…"

They turned away from each other seeing Jax walk towards them, "I have to say, I think you guys pulled off a very impressive meeting in a short amount of time."

Spinelli listened as Jax told them how he and Carly would like to offer them the presidential sweet until their place was built, "…It'll be private with no maids unless you ask for them so you don't have to worry about someone snooping around…well except for Carly maybe." They all joked where Spinelli noticed Kate in the doorway, staring at him.

"Thank you," Milo smiled knowing they did have a lot of work to do, "How soon can we move in I guess?"

"Tomorrow, but that's not all I wanted to tell you…I would be very honored if you gave me the opportunity to invest in your business," Spinelli broke his concentration as Jax went into detail, "I'll cover the construction cost, provide anything you need…"

Spinelli looked at Milo who was just as uncertain about Jax's proposal as he was, "Jax you won't make any money off of us, I mean we're just an agency, private detectives who…" Milo tried to explain that this wasn't like a hotel or a magazine this was a small business that wasn't going to charge a helluva lot to solve crimes of the heart.

Jax interrupted, almost insulted by there behavior, "Detectives who just spent four hours convincing us that you can do it better than the police, that you can solve crimes faster with less error, that you can solve things from small petty affairs to murders mysteries…"

Spinelli and Milo nervously smiled for Jax was taking the meeting out of context, the idea of their agency wasn't to be better then the police it was to attempt to help them, but at the same time working on their own private investigations.

Jax could see they weren't understanding him at least that's how he interpreted it, "You're right I'm not gonna make a fortune, but for someone whose been a victim of crime, I want to prevent other people from feeling my pain, if you can do it quicker than this pathetic police department I'll give you all the money you want, all the advertising, whatever you want I'll grant."

Spinelli didn't want to hurt Jax's feelings, didn't want to offend him anymore then they perhaps already had, "Mr. Jacks, can we think about it?" It wasn't that they didn't want his help of course they did, but at the same time he knew that the success of their business in a way relies on not making enemies with PCPD and if suddenly they have huge million dollar investors saying they're better than the police…well it could lead to trouble that Spinelli and Milo knew they didn't need.

Milo slightly looked at Spinelli annoyed for two reasons, one they didn't need time to think about it, they had agreed a while back that asking for people to invest was a bad idea, but second, which is what made turning Jax down so hard was that they were in debt, a significant amount which they knew Jax could pay off, "What Spinelli means to say is that we appreciate your offer, but..."

"Look," Jax didn't like where this was headed, "Just think about it." He didn't want to lose an investment, one that he'd be very proud of.

By now Spinelli wasn't paying attention to Jax or what Milo said just a few seconds before instead he was looking in the doorway hoping to see Kate, but she had left, "Milo…um I'll meet you in the bar," he grabbed his suitcase and then patted Jax on the back as he walked by, "Thanks again white knight!" Spinelli grinned before running out of the room to se Kate just about to step into the elevator, "Hold the elevator!"

Just as she was about to push the ground floor button she heard Spinelli's voice, "Hold the elevator!" She tilted her head to the elevator doorway wondering if she heard right and when she knew she did, she quickly pushed the button to hold the elevator.

"Thanks," he ran in putting his hands on his knees catching his breath, "Not much of an athlete." He joked as Kate let the elevator doors close.

She tried to keep a straight face as Spinelli leaned up from his knees, "But you already know that, I pretty much told you I was a loser growing up…" He laughed before looking at her serious, "About that, I would really appreciate it, if you…"

"Don't worry, I won't tell Maxie you're in love with her," Kate grinned as Spinelli looked at her surprised that she just blurted it out.

"How do you know I was talking about Maximista?" He wanted to challenge her assumptions, "I could have been talking about the Blonde one or Nurse Nadine or…"

"Spinelli I see the way you look at her," Kate sweetly smiled remembering how she and Sonny were when they were teenagers, "Spinelli you bring her flowers, you come to the rescue when she's made a mistake at work, you inspire her to be better and she listens to you, you know, she appreciates you I hope you know that, many girls would be lucky to have you as a friend."

"Well," he blushed, "I suppose."

"No I'm serious, Maxie is lucky to have you which by the way, why wasn't Maxie in today?" Kate remembered the comment about them oversleeping earlier and just thought she'd curiously ask what happened.

"Oh well," he had to think of something quick, "Maxie got sick last night, 24 hour flu bug and since Commissioner Sir-Mac wasn't home I took care of her, all last night and this morning."

A proud feeling came over her, she didn't know why she felt what she did, but she couldn't help but stare at him and think _that's my son, my son who knows how to treat a woman._

He pressed the arch of his nose near his eye trying to bring relief to how tired he was, "And so I've lost so much sleep in the past couple days trying to figure out whom shot little Michael that when Maxie woke up this morning all better I made her French toast with err…" He paused realizing what he just revealed, "Um don't…"

"Don't tell anyone you cook?" She chuckled, "Well, I'm afraid Maxie spilled the beans to me a few days ago, I already know you're a fantastic cook…" She saw him blush with embarrassment, "Spinelli there's nothing wrong with knowing your way around the kitchen; god knows I wish I knew how to cook anything."

"Well the jackal should teach you something sometime," he formed a huge smile forgetting that this was Kate Howard he was talking to, "Or not I mean I know you're busy and you and I aren't exactly on the same level…"

"What's that supposed to mean?" She looked at him offended.

Now he felt really bad, "Nothing ma'am, um Fashionista, I mean Ms. Howard…"

"Call me Kate," she said with annoyance wanting him to explain what he meant, "Continue Spinelli, explain what you mean by you and I aren't on the same level." She knew when she first bumped into Sonny all these years later that he had called her a snob, a shallow person, but was she really? Surely Spinelli wouldn't think that now after their conversation earlier.

"Well, the um," Spinelli began to nervously rant in his Spinellisms, "The jackal meant that well, you are famous and I'm just uh…uh a peasant and…"

"And you think that I wouldn't associate myself with you because we're on different social scales?" She saw him slowly nod yes and it actually hurt her feelings.

"I'm sorry Kate," Spinelli bit his lip, "I don't mean to…"

"Spinelli I'm sorry," she apologized, "I didn't mean to give you the impression that I was that shallow," she couldn't remember if she had ever talked down to him, but was now quickly retracing her mind to see if she had, "Spinelli after everything you've done for Sonny for Maxie and Lulu, I consider you a friend of mine and if you find yourself free, I would most definitely appreciate your fine teaching of French Toast."

His face lit up, "Really?" He was more than flattered, he felt honored.

"Yes," she laughed nodding yes, "Anytime."

He softly smiled, "Okay." He grinned almost excited for the day he could teach such an icon something so simple.

The elevator doors opened and she waited for him to walk out, but he motioned for her to go ahead, "Ladies first."

"Why thank you," she smiled walking through doorway where he followed after.

He wasn't sure what to do next for the whole moment still seemed surreal, he wasn't sure if they were going to say goodbye or just walk like nothing happened or what, he waited for her move.

She turned to him just as they got out of the elevator, "Spinelli…"

He nervously looked up at her, "Ms. Howard it was a pleasure to be in your company," he found himself taking her hand and kissing it, "Thank you for everything."

Was it the fact that he said those words with such sincerity that touched her? Or was it the fact that the man holding her hand was her son, her son who she wanted to spend more time with since she saw him this morning, whatever it was, it left her speechless.

Lulu walked from the direction of the boutique to see Spinelli slowly letting go of Kate's hand, "Spinelli!" She shouted in excitement for she had been waiting all day to speak to him.

Kate watched as he broke eye contact to look into the direction he heard his name, she saw him nervously smile at Lulu's presence and she knew it was time to let the moment end, to let go of what she really wanted to hang on to, "Spinelli…"

He glanced back at her not at all expecting to hear the words she was about to say, "…Don't you dare give me any credit for today. You did it all on your own, there wasn't one person in there that doubted you because from the second you started talking, which I must say I was not aware that you could speak such perfect English…" She teased seeing a goofy smile form in the corner of his mouth, "You showed a real passion in there, the very same passion that drives all of us in our careers, you should be proud of yourself because Jax and I certainly were," she nodded professionally, "We were very impressed and it takes a lot to impress us, you're going to do great things."

Now he was speechless, "Wow…" He didn't know what to say for that was perhaps one of the greatest compliments he had ever received from anyone, it almost brought tears to his eyes, "That means a lot."

"Well I assure you, you have more confidence in yourself than you think," she slowly smiled crossing her arms, "Believe in yourself, Spinelli, believe."

He slowly nodded taking her advice and all her words to heart, "I will." He nodded as if he actually would, "I will in honor of the Fair Kate Howard I will do just that." He sweetly smiled sliding his hand into his pocket where the moment they were enjoying became interrupted by Claudia Zacchara who stormed through the Metro Court to see Lulu.

"What the hell did you do to my brother!" Claudia startled her.

"Excuse me?" Lulu looked at her like she had it all wrong.

After seeing Maxie in the shape she was in this morning, he couldn't take seeing Lulu get beat up on, even if it was just verbally, "Duty calls," he sighed looking back motioning that he had to take care of something.

"I see," she could see he despised her too, "Tell Maxie to come in whenever she's feeling better."

He nodded backing away from her, "Sure oh and what we talked about earlier…"

"Never happened," she smiled clutching her purse before she watched Spinelli joyously smile and then make his way to the direction where everyone in the lobby could hear Claudia yelling and putting down Lulu, which only ticked off Spinelli more.

* * *

We're about to see just how much Spinelli has changed, next Chapter, Spinelli stands up for himself with the help of Milo. Jason is beginning to catch onto Milo and Spinelli and isn't at all ammused by SpinLu. Milo and Spinelli discuss Lulu and Maxie before getting into a bar fight? With Logan? I smell trouble! What's wrong with Sam? Lulu and Spineli talk, Lulu doesn't get the answer she's hoping for.

After that chapter there will be at least one more good spixie chapter before all hell breaks loose and someone spills the beans about Maxie's terrible night, you'll be surprised who tells the truth.

Just want to also take the time out to thank a few people who always take the time out to review, SEEKER-2000, LuckyDuck29, Spixiegirl27, MercuryMan, Average Everyday Sane Physco. I really do appreciate the reviews, they only take minute. Also for Spixie fans I just posted a video on youtube called "Song Beneath the song" you guys should go check it out and watch it, it' got a lot of great spixie scenes.

Hopefully I'll have an update soon. :)


	25. Cocktails and arguments

Chapter 25: Cocktails and arguments

**Author's Note:**

Hey guys! So I think after this chapter the story should be a lot easier for me to write. Lol. Some of you really liked the Spinelli and Kate interaction so I added in another SpinKate scene. I also wanted to address the issue of Spinelli's behavior because someone in a review had mentioned about him possibly being written out of character for an upcoming scene. This entire chapter as the last chapter was, is about showing multiple different sides of Spinelli. Right now he's in a place that he's not familiar with, he's feeling overwhelmed there's Lulu, Maxie, the rape, the business, Jason…There's a lot of mixed emotions and Spinelli has decided the only way for him to cope with all these things at once is to not be himself, but play a part of someone who should be able to be cool under a tremendous amount of pressure. So the behavior we're seeing is not him being written out of character because he's already out of character as I've just mentioned. The question is, can he find a realm because his mood swings are going to become more frequent in the next chapter Maxie will question his behavior. Don't forget, Spinelli has only had these feelings for one day and is barely keeping it together, can he last any longer? It'll be up to Maxie and Lulu to drag the Jackal back because right now Spinelli wants to hide himself. There be more of an explanation to this in the next chapter, but that's where I'm going with this. Other than that I think everyone else, well Milo can be said to be written out of character, I'm trying to make him a cool guy which we never see on GH cause he's never on, bummer that it, as I was saying i think everyone else is being written in character.

Elements of this chapter, we've got a really good Spinelli and Lulu scene, a funny Spinelli and Jason scene, an interesting Kate and Spinelli scene and an action pact Spinelli, Logan and Milo scene. As always enjoy and don't forget to review!

* * *

"Is there a problem here ladies?" Spinelli casually strolled over to the area with one hand in his pocket and the other holding onto his briefcase, trying to act smooth and cool.

Claudia, who had met this man once about a month or so ago in Jakes, looked away from Lulu to see someone a little different, but it never the less kept her from starting a commotion, "Why don't you ask her?"

"Well I would, but see I saw the whole thing, you came in here asking for trouble," Spinelli set his briefcase on the couch before crossing his arms stepping in front of Lulu.

"Fine, I started it, but I want to know what she did to my brother to make him…"

"To make him what?" Spinelli questioned with an evil grin while staring into her eyes that just about ticked him to the point of no return, never had he been able to so quickly turn on and off his emotions, "You know did it ever occur to you that maybe your shoot and ask questions later brother…"

Lulu quickly grabbed onto Spinelli's arm hoping it would be enough to calm him down and prevent him from making a big mistake, "Spinelli."

He looked over his shoulder for a second before looking back to see Claudia's nostrils flared with fury in her eyes, "Johnny…"

"Oh and before you start defending your brother or your sacred family name, why don't you ask yourself if maybe this behavior of his has something to do with a guilty conscience, most people feel guilty for shooting 12 year olds and police officers?" He evilly smirked at her knowing he put her in her place.

He turned to Lulu looking at her in concern, "You okay?"

"Yeah," she nodded completely taken back by his words by this behavior that would have never dared to stand up to anyone.

"Come on let's go," he took her hand before reaching for his suitcase.

"We're not done here!" She motioned to touch Lulu as they tried to walk away, but as soon as her hand came into Spinelli's rear vision he quickly turned around grabbing her wrist, "We are done…" He squeezed her wrist to the point where he was actually hurting her which wasn't exactly Spinelli's intention, but his words definitely were, "There's a new sheriff in town and his name is Damian Spinelli."

"Well Damian you are making a grave mistake," she looked down at the wrist that was turning red.

"I doubt I'm making a mistake because if Johnny knew you were here yelling at Lulu when he was the one that broke up with her, I think he'd be just as disgusted to be in your presence as I am right now. So Vixenella," he through the name of his tongue preparing to threaten her, "Stay away from this blonde one, from Lulu Spencer or suffer the consequences…"

"Spinelli," Lulu scarcely called his name like it wasn't smart to make threats, but before she could do anything else, reinforcements arrived; Milo and Jason appeared from either side of him.

Milo came from behind Claudia casually walking around her with his hands in his pockets, "So what did the lady in red do this time?" Milo came to a stop next to Spinelli grinning while Jason just wanted to do damage control, "Let go of her."

Spinelli immediately loosened up on her grip, "Nothing to worry about Stone Cold, Ms. Zacchara just misunderstood me, didn't she?"

"Yes," she hated admitting in front of the all mighty powerful Jason Morgan that she had given this Damien Spinelli and Lulu Spencer trouble.

Spinelli let go of her completely, "Milo let's have that drink now." He looked at Lulu to walk with them for part of the way while Jason finished her off.

Claudia snarled at them as they walked away while holding onto her sore wrist, "Jason all I did was…"

Jason walked towards her crossing his arms, not at all about to take her side, "Wow Spinelli is never violent which makes me wonder what exactly happened here to set him off."

"Look I just came in wanting some information from Lulu on why my brother was so sad and angry and Damian/Spinelli whatever his name is intervened completely misunderstanding the situation," she let her wrist letting it hang to the side of her now.

"I'm sure that's what happened," Jason grinned as he enclosed in on her, "I'll tell you this once and once only, my godson is in a coma right now, my best friends are trying to deal with the fact that their son is never going to wake up again…"

"I'm sorry for your loss," Claudia tried to appear sincere, but it only annoyed Jason further.

"Save it, I don't have the patience for this little crap that's going on, so do yourself a favor and let your brother fight his own battles. You leave Spinelli, Lulu, Milo and who ever else alone because Johnny has dug his own grave and if I find out Johnny had anything to do with that little boy being in the state he's in I'll be happy to put him there."

"Johnny and I had nothing to do with what happened to Michael," she told him once again for the millionth time.

"Keep telling yourself that," Jason glared at her once more before walking away to the direction of where Lulu, Milo and Spinelli had gone to.

"Are you okay?" Spinelli asked Lulu again.

She raised her hand to her forehead, "Yeah I'm fine, but you shouldn't have done that," she dropped her hand to her hip, "I had it under control," Lulu became slightly worried that Spinelli might have done more harm then good.

Milo interrupted, "Lulu she has no right coming up to you and insisting you are the reason every time Johnny is depressed, their family is crazy, you're not to blame for that. She deserves everything that comes to her and Spinelli…" Milo glanced at him placing his hand on his shoulder, "That's definitely worth me buying you a drink."

"I thought you were already buying me a drink," Spinelli playfully laughed.

"Well I guess I owe you two drinks," Milo let go of his shoulder when he saw Jason walking towards them.

The three of them could tell right away that Jason wasn't happy, "Stone Cold…" Spinelli thought he might earn some kind of brownie points calling him by his favorite name.

"Milo I need to talk to Spinelli and Lulu alone," Jason put his hands on his hips trying not to get angry at them.

"Right," Milo slowly glanced away at Jason, "Spinelli I'll meet you at the bar." Milo saw Spinelli's face that he'd be there momentarily.

"First," Jason waited for Milo to be farther away, "What the hell are you doing in that suit, carrying a briefcase and second what are you doing going to a bar?"

Spinelli put his hands up in defense, "Um, Stone Cold I can explain."

"Yeah, just like you're going to explain what happened to my apartment last night!" Jason slightly raised his voice.

"I'll clean it up, I promise," Spinelli became more nervous then he ever had before in front of his mentor for it seemed like Jason was no kidding pissed.

"Yeah you bet your ass you will," Jason put his hands on his hips, "You're going to clean up all the alcohol and all the…" He leaned whispering, "Garments I found…"

"Oh those would be mine," Lulu nervously bit her lip slightly grinning for she felt kind of guilty that Spinelli was getting most of Jason's anger.

Jason wandered his eyes to her face not at all expecting her to claim the bra that he found on the steps of his apartment, but when she did he then wandered his eyes back to Spinelli, "I…I can't handle this…" Jason turned away from the two of them while trying to wrap his head around the idea of Spinelli having sex, but what he was really trying to do was get passed the fact that teenagers were having sex in his apartment when he wasn't, it was kind of funny.

"Okay," Jason turned back to them with his hands over his mouth trying to figure this out, trying to react in a way that wouldn't scare Spinelli or embarrass Lulu, "Just…Just have it cleaned up by the time I get home tonight."

"Most assuredly," Spinelli nervously nodded.

"And…" Jason stared into Spinelli's eyes, "I hope you backed up your hard drive before you threw your laptop into my fireplace."

"Of course I did," Spinelli grinned, "What kind of Jackal would I be if I didn't have all my information saved to another computer."

Jason wasn't amused by his lightly humored behavior, but he couldn't bear to lecture anymore on the guy who was like a brother to him, "Lulu…" He glanced at her, "You need to stay as far away as you can from Claudia Zacchara, you hear?"

"Believe me I don't need you to tell me, she just came in here…" She tried to explain, but Jason soon after interrupted her.

"I don't need to hear the reason," he seemed extra agitated, "Just stay away from her and the rest of the Zaccharas or don't expect Sonny and I to protect you," it sounded harsher than he wanted it to because he knew she would have a hard time keeping herself away from Johnny, but he had to get his point across, "I just think that with Lucky missing…"

"I know," she took a deep sigh knowing exactly the kind of lecture or well explanation he was trying to give her, it sounded all too familiar from yesterday's conversation with her father.

"Alright," Jason looked away from her to Spinelli, "Come on we have work to do." Jason grabbed onto his shoulder.

"No," Spinelli rocked back as Jason's hand tried to pull him into his direction.

"What?" Jason turned back to him. The kid had never said no to him before except when it pertained to Jake, Jason's son whom he had yet to claim as his own, but never on any other circumstance had Spinelli ever talked down to him.

Spinelli could see he had some what offended his master and from experience he knew if he didn't try to innocently explain why he couldn't rush to his duties then it would definitely bite him later, "Um…What I mean Stone-err is that I made plans already with the body builder…"

Jason crossed his arms, "You two have been working together a lot lately," his eyes grew suspicious, "What are you guys up to?"

"Um…" Spinelli wandered his eyes to Lulu who was just standing there feeling very awkward as the non-threatening tension grew between them.

"Jason," Lulu spoke up to Spinelli's defense, "It's a surprise."

"I don't like surprises," Jason groaned putting his hands on his hips, staring at both of them wondering what kind of trouble he was going to have to fix.

"Well it's a good surprise," Lulu grinned trying to think on her feet, _you're a Spencer, think!_

Jason looked at them with his patience wearing thin, "Explain."

Spinelli began to explain with his hands moving nervously, "Aw well, we're…"

Lulu quickly put her hand on Spinelli's mouth, "Spinelli you don't want to ruin the surprise now do you?"

Spinelli nodded his head before Lulu took her hand off his mouth and he mumbled a "no" before holding his hands behind his back.

Jason huffed in frustration not having the time or the energy to deal with there ridiculous antics, "Tomorrow morning, coffee shop, 7 sharp, don't be late." He walked away from the two of them to the front counter of the hotel looking for Jax.

Spinelli sighed feeling a weight being lifted off his shoulders, boy did he need to talk to Milo, not only did he need to discuss Maxie, but they needed to discuss just when they were going to tell Jason and Sonny that they no longer wanted to be employed by them, "Um can we talk later, say on the docks in like two hours?"

"Sure," she didn't want to pressure the conversation that she had been dying to have with him.

"Great," he reached into his pocket, "Here's a spare key to the apartment. I assume you still need a place to crash at?"

"Yeah," she nervously smiled taking the key from his hand.

"Okay, well I'll see you later, call me if Claudia gives you anymore trouble," he scanned the room to see that she had obviously left the place.

"I will." She said but his mind was already elsewhere, it made her nervous; it made her wonder why he kept avoiding her. She wished she had Carly to talk to, Carly would know what to do, but Carly was busy just like the rest of her family was, busy mourning people that the man she loved might be responsible for.

* * *

Milo was sitting at a private table casually sipping his drink when Spinelli came from behind looking flustered, "Hey man I took it upon myself to order you a drink."

Spinelli glanced down at the orange substance with ice in the glass, "Thanks." He took a seat, setting the briefcase on the floor, extremely anxious for he'd been waiting to talk to Milo all day about the problems on his hands.

"So first before we get into all this serious shit, let's toast," he raised his glass, "To new beginnings."

Spinelli smiled, "To new beginnings." They clunked there glasses together and then took a sip where Spinelli instantly shook his head as the substance definitely woke him up, "Yikes." He grinned taking another sip before realizing it might have been too soon.

"So, what should we address first? How your date with Maxie last night turned into a horror film or what we're going to do about Jax or…"

"Jason, stone cold as it may be," he knew that was probably the easiest thing to discuss, "He wants me to show up at his office tomorrow at 7…And he suspects something is going on."

"He does?" He wondered how it was possible, _they were friends, friends hang out, why does it have to mean they're up to something? _

"Yeah I guess the whole tie suit thing and us taking part in a relaxing beverage is really unbelievable to him," he took another sip.

Milo saw Spinelli's eyes slightly close as if the drink was sour, "Well it's not everyday your in a suit, wanting to drink, talking in a language we understand, standing up to Claudia Zacchara and lying to Jason…" He wondered if he left anything out.

Spinelli raised his glass before speaking words that were supposed to explain his character changes, "Well it's not everyday you find a woman raped…" He hatefully grinned letting his lips touch the glass.

Milo regretfully nodded, he felt bad for Spinelli, shoot he'd feel bad for anyone in Spinelli's shoes, "Did she say she knew who did it?" He asked wondering if they had talked about the rape at all since he found her and took care of her.

He nodded no, "But I have an idea."

Spinelli leaned back in his chair staring at the glass letting, the glass that was melting on the sides because of cold ice, "Last night, when you and Sam left after Jason showed up, I had every intention of showing up."

"I had the jewelry, the flowers, the mob mobile," he slightly laughed, it was perfect really, he had everything going for him, "I got to Kelly's oh I don't know ten minutes early and I find her with Logan, the knuckle scrapper, the crabby commando, the man I despise."

Milo could almost sense what he was about to say next, but asked anyway, "What were they doing?"

"Well they weren't talking," he laughed bitterly enough for Milo to get the picture, "See the problem my friend…" He set his glass down feeling his mouth get dry as he began to get the same feeling from last night in his stomach, "Is that I saw one kiss, one kiss that I didn't stick around to see how it played out or even bothered to interrupt, I just assumed that I had misinterpreted the evening and I left."

"So you don't really know if it was a forced kiss or not?"

Spinelli foolishly nodded no, "And when we discussed part of what happened she didn't mention Logan coming by."

"Do you think he did it?" Milo took a sip from his drink before he noticed Spinelli's eyes glancing away from him.

Milo followed his gaze to see Logan Hayes stepping off the elevator and hearing Spinelli's voice become agitated, "Whether he did it or not, I want to…"

"Spinelli," Milo turned to him, "You have to control yourself until…"

Spinelli snapped at Milo, "Until he hurts Lulu? Or goes after Maxie again, no I don't give a damn he's gonna pay…" Spinelli looked away from him quickly getting up from his seat.

Milo quickly stepped in front of him, "I was going to say until you're at least a red belt, you've only been in a self defense class for one day…" He tried to joke, but Spinelli looked at Logan who was walking towards them, but had yet to notice them.

"His father is the special prosecutor Spinelli, it'll be his word against yours, you'll be arrested..." Milo glared at him not to be stupid.

"So what," Spinelli tried to walk passed him, but Milo grabbed his shoulders, "You'll be in jail."

Spinelli motioned to walk passed him when Milo pulled him in closer with frustration, "Think about Maxie! She needs you to be strong and you're letting him win."

Spinelli looked at him pouting, "Let me get just one swing in, he won't even see it coming."

"Spinelli," Milo looked into his eyes, "Wait and I'll help you beat the living shit out of him."

Spinelli glanced back at him, "Fine."

Milo led him back to the table where as soon as they sat down Logan walked passed them staring at Spinelli, smirking at him before commenting, "So did she sleep with you on the first date?"

Milo could see Spinelli's growing frustration, "First you're obsessed with Lulu and now Maxie…"

Logan grunted, "I'm not obsessed with Lulu…" He stared at Milo who was laughing at him with his arms crossed, "I'm not, Lulu wants me." Logan insisted.

Spinelli laughed harder than Milo, "Really?"

Logan glanced at Spinelli, "What are you laughing about?" He leaned over to Spinelli, "Let me give you a little tip about Maxie Jones before you think it's really _love_ with her, she gets bored real quick."

Logan caught Spinelli's unamused glare, "It's just the facts, my pal Coop was a great guy, didn't stop her from shaking up with me and well I'm man enough to admit you're a good guy too, but Maxie can't help herself from the bad guys…" Logan leaned away crossing his arms where he heard Trevor shouting his name to join him at the table.

"Trevor?" Kate asked as she was walking to meet Diane Miller at a table nearby.

"Why hello Kate?" He kindly took her hand and kissed it.

"What brings you here?" She asked noticing no one at his table.

"Oh," he chuckled, "I'm meeting an employee of mine," he wandered his eyes to Logan Hayes, "Seems he's gotten himself distracted." Kate followed his gaze to see the man he was meeting talking with Spinelli and Milo.

Logan smiled at Kate and Trevor and then looked back at the two clowns at the table, "I got to go guys," he slowly backed away, "So Spinelli no hard feelings if you find me in bed with her?"

Spinelli didn't react; he was desperately trying to resist the urge to show offense to Logan's words, "See Spinelli…" Logan grinned, "That's why women can't be with you, you don't even defend their honor not like Maxie's honor is worth defending she's just a first class whore, but you already knew that which is why you didn't show up last night…"

Logan could see his words weren't going to get a rise out of Spinelli so after laughing he turned around waving at Trevor and Kate.

Spinelli looked at Milo, "I'm sorry I can't." Spinelli sprung up from the table.

"Spinelli…" Milo sighed trying to follow him.

"Well Trevor," Kate was about to say their little chat was short, but sweet.

Spinelli rushed to Logan pushing him from behind, "Say that again…"

Logan turned around humorously laughing as Spinelli pushed him again saying, "I couldn't quite hear you knuckle scrapper," Spinelli knew those nick names really ticked him off.

Trevor looked away from Kate, "Hold on darling…" Trevor's attention turned to the fight that was just about to get out of hand.

All Logan could do when Spinelli pushed him was laugh, _was he kidding?_ "Ooo I'm scared assassin of the internet is gonna kick my Iraq War ass…" He gloated.

"Come on tough guy…" Spinelli shoved him, "Come on!" Spinelli pushed him yet again trying to get Logan to react.

Kate curiously stood at the table next to Trevor wondering what they were fighting about, "Trevor we should…" She thought they should stop it, but Trevor could see Spinelli's friend in the distance who was also holding off.

"Come on tough guy, big war veteran, I'll let you have the first punch," Spinelli pointed to his cheek, "Never stopped you before…" He referred back to when he beat up Spinelli earlier in the year.

At first Logan played along, he enjoyed seeing Spinelli get riled up over petty comments, but after a few more shoves and a few comments directed to Logan's reputation, Logan wasn't laughing anymore.

He reacted for the first time roughly pushing Spinelli back harder than Spinelli had ever pushed him, "I don't have time for this you little twerp, it was joke Spinelli…Get over it." He turned away from Spinelli looking at Trevor.

Spinelli nodded placing his hand on his chin before waving it away pretending to accept his words before sliding his hands to his hips, "Well I don't personally think it's funny to call women whores or hit them," Spinelli really had no indication that Logan had hit Maxie last night unless he was her rapist, but even so he really had no idea that Logan would explode after one word.

"That's it!" Logan turned away walking towards Spinelli who was winding up his fist.

"Whoa!" Trevor and Milo suddenly came in front of their boxers trying to restrain them.

"I did not hit her!" Logan yelled, making the argument very public now, "Is that what Maxie told you? That I hit her! Cause all I did to that stupid bitch is kiss her," Logan spat finding it difficult to get around Trevor.

Spinelli reached over Milo's back pointing his finger at Logan, "If I find out you landed one hand on her…" He tried to shove Milo away.

"You'll do what?" Logan laughed, "Hit me with your laptop!"

"HEY!" Milo shouted where soon Trevor shouted as well, "Okay Logan let's go!" He pushed him, "Come on get a hold of yourself!"

"This is isn't over!" Logan shouted as Trevor tried to force him back over to his table. Milo pushed Spinelli back to the table.

Milo continued to restrain Spinelli as he pushed Spinelli back to there table, "You're damn right it isn't!" Spinelli yelled back before catching Kate's glance of what just happened.

Milo grabbed Spinelli's arm, "That was real smart Spinelli." He threw Spinelli down in his chair, "Real fucking smart."

"You heard the things he was saying, he did it, I know it," Spinelli leaned in taking a sip of his orange drink.

"Yeah which means now if Logan goes missing or he dies, guess who's going to look guilty? You." Milo insisted if they ever wanted to _kill_ Logan that now he'd look real suspicious.

"Oh me, well we are detectives, I'm sure we'd figure out how to cover it up," Spinelli wandered his eyes away from Milo's drinking from his glass once more.

Milo leaned back in his chair, "Spinelli what in the hell came over you? This isn't like you." It really wasn't, Spinelli was never the type to act out and think later, that's why Jason had hired him he was smart.

Spinelli didn't dare look him in the eyes, he was partially embarrassed now, embarrassed for how he acted in public in front of Milo, "I'm sorry it was stupid, but I just couldn't…" Spinelli stopped in thought, not wanting to discuss it anymore.

"I know," Milo leaned up from the seat drinking his glass.

There was an upside however to the argument they just had, Spinelli wasn't entirely an idiot, he had in some ways pushed Logan's buttons just to get him to admit things, "At least we know he was watching the place, he knew I didn't show up, he got all riled up when I accused him of hitting her and with his military record he may very well have done it," Spinelli paused for a brief second realizing more than ever that last nights kiss was most likely nothing, "Which means I could have stopped it and I didn't…"

It wasn't the conclusion that Milo expected Spinelli to come up with, he thought Spinelli was going to say the police was going to have an easy case, but when Spinelli started blaming himself for Maxie's rape, Milo knew he had to put a stop to it.

"Don't do that to yourself," Milo slammed his glass down on the counter where he leaned over the table, "Maxie has a reputation for this sort of stuff…It's sad for me to imply that because she's our friend, well yours anyway. I don't want to agree with that slime ball, but Maxie has been with a lot of men, anyone would have done the same thing as you."

Spinelli nodded in disagreement just speechless for he knew he should have known better, he knew he should have trusted Maxie not to get involved with him again, he should have known something was wrong, "I got a feeling last night when I got home."

Milo's eyebrows rose, "A feeling?"

"I was drinking, thinking of the kiss and what they might be doing and I got this horrible feeling in my gut like something bad was happening something I could stop…"

Milo looked at him in disbelief, "Look you had a lapse in judgment you misunderstood a kiss, you were hurt because you liked the girl, don't…"

"Milo I never even waited," he repeated his actions again, "I don't even know how long I was there, but I should have just waited a minute longer and I would have seen what the kiss meant, but I didn't, I walked away like a coward and Maxie got raped because of me," Spinelli pushed his glass aside where he folded his hands on his face, "And the worst part is, this feeling I got, was starting to make me second guess myself, I was going to go back to Kelly's, but low and behold…" He raised his glass again, "Lulu shows up."

_Oh jeez, _Milo thought for he knew Johnny and Lulu broke up last night and if Spinelli was thinking about Maxie and Logan…"You and Lulu?"

"Yup," he pushed his glass away again, "I was upset, she was upset, we were both trying to figure out our relationship with one another and one thing led to another and…"

Milo reached for his wallet placing a hundred dollars on the table and sliding it forward, hoping to lighten up the mood with a slab of humor.

"What's this for?" Spinelli looked at him.

"You won the bet," he began to playfully grin, "Remember the bet we made with Dillon when all three of us wanted Lulu."

Spinelli laughed, he genuinely laughed, he'd almost forgotten about it, it was so long ago, a year ago, "This is not funny," he couldn't stop laughing at the irony of it all, "I slept with my best friend the night the woman I really love was raped and you're giving me a hundred dollars?"

Milo laughed just as hard, it was horrible really how the events, the way they all played out, it was just unfortunate how all four of them, Johnny, Lulu, Maxie and Spinelli, how all their decisions had inadvertently changed their lives.

There laughs died off pretty quickly and Spinelli looked up at Milo, "I feel SO guilty."

"It wasn't like you actually wanted Lulu, I mean you guys had pity comfort sex like Mr. and Mrs. C have all the time or…Look at Jason and Elizabeth…" A light bulb went off in Milo's head and he leaned in closer, "You and Lulu are in the exact, almost exact situation as them. Just tell Lulu what I'm sure she's going to tell you, she doesn't regret the night, it was great, but it can never happen again." Milo waited for Spinelli to say something in return, something that would shed light that he agreed, but Spinelli scarcely looked up, "But what if…What if…"

"What if what Spinelli?" Milo asked annoyed as he pulled his chair in closer, "What if she actually wants to be with you? She's in love with Johnny; you are in love with Maxie, I mean aren't you?"

"Yeah, but what if…God…" Spinelli leaned back in his chair frustrated, "Why does it have to be so hard!"

Milo clenched his jaw with Spinelli's frustrations getting to him, "It only has to be hard if you care about Lulu, do you still have feelings for her?"

Spinelli glanced up at Milo as soon as he said that, "No…I don't know."

Milo looked at him wondering how this could get anymore complicated, "Okay…let's think about this." He knew that perhaps Spinelli might be tricking himself into thinking he does have some unresolved feelings for Lulu because of the night they spent together, "Okay you woke up this morning after a fun night right?"

Spinelli nodded and Milo continued, "Right so you woke up and everything seemed light and fluffy like no one regretted anything."

"But that's the thing," Spinelli quickly interrupted, "I regret last night."

"But do you regret it because of what happened to Maxie or because you and Lulu…"

"I've got to go," Spinelli sprung up from his chair.

"But we're not done yet," Milo looked up at him worried.

"I know what I have to do," he grabbed his suit case, "Thanks for the drink, I'll be over at Maxie's in a few hours we can discuss Jax later."

"But," Milo lingered but Spinelli was already rushing to the elevators grabbing his phone, "Lulu where are you?"

Kate saw Spinelli waiting to get on the elevator and quickly looked at Diane, "I'll be right back."

"Lulu I'll meet you on the docks in half an hour…I know well my meeting with Milo got cut short, I'll see you then," Spinelli looked up at the chime of the elevator where he slid his phone into his pocket and walked in not at all hearing the footsteps behind him.

"Spinelli," she softly spoke as the doors closed with her in the elevator.

"Oh hi," he was taken back by her sudden presence where he became quiet almost nervous, "Um is there something I can help you with?" He curiously raised his eye brows.

"Spinelli," she put her hand on the button to stop the elevator.

He looked at her wondering what she was doing.

"I can see that something is wrong," she looked at him seeing he was more stressed then before and with the mention of Maxie's name she wondered if the story he told in their last elevator ride was a bunch of bull.

He glanced at her not wanting to be mean or rude especially after earlier, "No offense or anything, but what business is it of yours?"

She looked at him concerned, maybe she was just being motherly or maybe she just cared too much now, "Spinelli you can't expect to give me your life's story and then expect after I see you in some fight with Scott Baldwin's son for me to just ignore it," she looked at him like she genuinely shared interest in what just happened and for many reasons too which didn't have anything to do with the fact that he was her son.

"Ms. Howard, Kate, I don't mean to disrespect you…" He motioned to push the button to bring the elevator back to its regular motion.

She quickly darted in front of him covering the buttons and getting right to the point, "Why did Maxie's name come up? Is that why she didn't come to work today? Because something happened last night, is she hurt?"

He looked at her annoyed at the fact that she wasn't leaving this along, "All you need to know is the Maxie is fine."

"Then why did you and he for that matter insinuate that someone meaning Maxie had been…" She couldn't bring it to herself to even say what she thought might have happened.

"Look," he glanced up at her, "Logan and I hate each other. He knew that anything he said about Maxie would get a rise out of me and he successfully accomplished that. Now, I have somewhere to be and I suggest you stop poking your nose into problems that don't concern you." He really didn't know any other way to tell her to back off, but the pressure of coming forward and admitting everything that happened was becoming to much and it was only day one.

She moved away from the buttons, pushing the button that allowed the elevator to regularly move, "You know Spinelli as much as you don't think it concerns me, it does, it concerns me in more ways then you think."

He wondered how it whatever happened could really concern her except in terms of Maxie and possibly Lulu, "And I'm going to tell you that it doesn't concern you, Maxie and Lulu are fine."

"But your not," she turned to him crossing her arms.

"And why do you care?" He snapped at her, "Up until a few hours ago, you barely knew me except when I ran into to see your assistants, just because I had a weak moment and rambled to you doesn't mean you and I are friends to the point where you can care about." He didn't know why he was being so protective of his emotions when earlier he seemed to not care at all. Normally he didn't mind someone caring about him because he'd been starved of attention his entire life that anyone fondling over him made him happy. But then again this wasn't a normal day, Spinelli didn't feel like himself, he felt like he was putting on an act, one minute allowing himself to be happy and then next becoming serious jerk, his emotions were colliding in ways they never had before.

The elevator does opened and he motioned passed her where she put her fingers on the button to keep the door open, "Spinelli."

She watched as he turned to her in the elevator doorway, "Maybe I care because you keep my assistants happy, if I don't have happy assistants they aren't going to do their job."

He smirked, "That's where you're wrong, Maxie and Lulu are competing with one another for your approval, I'm just a pawn in their little game, whether I'm having a good day or not is not on their mind they would never jeopardize their job." He knew it wasn't exactly true, he was their friend, but he wasn't stupid, he knew they liked fighting over him, whomever he befriended more won, sometimes he didn't mind it and other times he did. Today he seemed to care, he didn't know why, he just did.

She pouted for his comment seem to come out of no where, one minute he talked highly of his blonde friends, the next he was putting them down, his behavior was so out of whack it made her think the problem was much more serious, "Spinelli, whatever's going on, my offer for French Toast still stands."

He nodded, but knew that talking to her wouldn't be necessary, he didn't know her enough to trust her, "Well I've got to go." He started to walk away.

She took her fingers off the button and watched as the doors began to close until she saw a briefcase lodged between them. The doors opened up again with Spinelli poking his head in, "I just wanted to say I didn't mean to sound like a jerk…" He frowned at himself, "It's just been a rough day and…"

She softly smiled accepting his apology, "Spinelli its okay," she nodded, "Your too hard on yourself sometimes, you know that?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "I guess. I just don't want you to get the wrong impression of me."

"Don't worry, your still a good guy," she slightly laughed, "Now go on."

He smiled feeling the same weird vibe from their last conversations, it was weird, he couldn't put his finger on it, but for some reason Kate had helped him control his emotions, earlier he was nervous, she calmed his nerves, later he was thankful and she complimented him, now he had been angered by Logan and she found a way to tell him it was okay to feel the way he did. It puzzled him tremendously; it was the one mystery he couldn't easily solve like the others.

"Bye," he backed away from the elevator doors letting them close before proudly walking out of the lobby to his next destination.

* * *

Lulu patiently sat at the docks of Pier 21 gazing out at the harbor, it was about five pm now and the sun was starting to set. She'd been waiting for this moment all day, the moment where she finally tells him she's opened her eyes, the moment where she says "although I'm in love with Johnny, I think I might be in love you too". It sounded silly, she knew it did, how could she love Spinelli when she also had strong, very strong feelings that were of love for Johnny?

In perspective, Johnny and Spinelli were two very different men, she told herself. Johnny was the bad boy who appeared to have a good heart where as Spinelli was just a good guy with a good heart. Although they both had messed up families which Lulu could relate to Johnny's was more threatening where as Spinelli's was just unknown, he had one known family member, a grandmother, who didn't like Lulu. Besides their relative baggage, Johnny was the heir to power and wealth, Spinelli was the heir to nothing, the only money he had came from Jason who also controlled the amount of power he had the organization. As Lulu continued to compare the men she realized they were both actually quite the same, really. Both were in the mob, well as of last week for she discovered this morning from Sam of Milo and Spinelli's new business adventure, but anyway they both had messed up families and to an extent they had wealth and power. So what made each of them different? Spinelli was a comedian, could always make her laugh, never let the past come between them, at least not anymore. Johnny was rarely playful, never an open book, always letting the past come between them, but he was mysterious, a man like her father. Perhaps the simplest answer she was trying to give herself was that Johnny was unattainable, the perfect love that could never be where as Spinelli was the love that could easily be perfect, Spinelli was her charming Jasper Jacks where as Johnny was the complicated stubborn Sonny Corinthos and Lulu was Carly, torn between two, unable to live without the other.

"Lulu?" Spinelli stood at the top of the docks.

She turned to him as he casually walked down the stairs, "Hey…" She got up to hug him.

His softer side suddenly began to show through, "Blonde one." He wasn't quite home, but he felt like he was getting there, it was as if the minute he walked out of the Metro Court he could be breathe again, he could let go of the business man that he was trying to play and just be the Jackal.

He closed his eyes holding her harder as she began to squeeze him and suddenly he found himself slightly lifting her up the ground, he was just happy to see a friend, a face who wasn't going to ask him about facts, figures, the business or Logan or the rape or the other issues on his mind.

When he set her back down she opened her eyes leaning away from the hug, "I've been waiting to see you all day."

He smiled, "Me too."

She softly smiled back before raising her hands to his cheeks, "Spinelli last night was…"

"Wonderful." He finished her sentence.

"Good I'm glad you thought so too because I don't know what I'd do if you said you regretted it," she smiled wanting to kiss him, wanting to show him just how much that night meant to her.

He formed a smile to match hers that was glowing with excitement, "No…I don't regret a thing that happened last night."

"Really?" She nervously bit her lip, "Because…"

He pushed her hair back before gently grabbing onto both of her hands, "If you don't regret it, neither do I."

She smiled once more with confidence, "That's great because there's something I want to tell you."

"Well there's something the Jackal wants to tell you too," he nervously smiled where she instantly wanted to know what he was going to say first.

"Um," he walked her over to the bench.

He nervously looked at their hands wondering how to explain to her that although last night was wonderful in the sense that she had comforted him as much he had comforted her, the night they shared could never be again.

"Last night, you found me, the jackal when he was hurt more than ever," he glanced up at her.

She sweetly smiled, almost flattered by his words that were spoken by a true romantic, "I'm glad I found you."

He softly laughed, "I…" Now was the hard part, how do you tell someone that you've always wondered what a night of passion with them would be like without sounding as if they were on some checklist of things you wanted to do before you died.

"I…I…" He stuttered.

"Take a deep breath," she raised her hand to his cheek, "Just tell me what you're thinking."

"Um okay," he took his hand off hers and wiped his sweaty palms on his pants.

"Spinelli," she slightly laughed at how afraid or hesitant he was to tell her how he felt until that is she saw his face, an expression, a look that said, _I'm sorry._

"The one thing that I the jackal believe is splendid about us is that our friendship can survive anything," he looked at her taking her hands in his knowing that part of last night was both of them connecting on a level they never had before, opening up to each other about their faults in a relationship that appeared unsalvageable.

"I believe that now," he smiled, "I believe that you and I can have the friendship that Stone Cold and the Valkyrie possess, minus the interruptions at late hours of the night."

She gently laughed as his words were slowly beginning to paint the picture of what he wanted them to be in her head, _friends_.

"Last night was beautiful, you are beautiful and I would never take back a night that gave us a second chance," he nervously gulped raising his hand to her cheek.

_Second chance?_ Her stomach filled with butterflies wondering if what she wanted wasn't too far away from obtainment.

"I never believed after the things that happened that I could want to be your friend again that I could look you in the eyes," he gazed at the sparkling blue eyes the mimicked the water in the harbor, "And see…"

She stared at him hanging on to each and every word _that I could look you in the eyes and see…_

"My very best friend," he softly smiled not at all catching the disappointment in her eyes, "I hope we stay friends forever Lulu."

"Of course," she smiled back before pulling him into a hug so she could cry without him seeing.

With his arms around her, he smiled knowing he did the right thing, "I mean it, no matter what happens, what we do, the people we become, I never want last night to become something we regret. We found our way back to each other and I'll never take that for granted."

She tried to clear her throat in the midst of tears running down her cheeks, "Neither…will I."

They hugged each other a moment longer before she leaned away with her tears no longer present on her face, the moment had been just long enough for her to hide them in her hand, "I'll never forget last night."

He kissed her hand nodding in agreement, "What do you say I take you back to Stone Cold's, we clean the place up and if I have time we'll watch a movie with some popcorn."

"Have time?" She questioned thinking he was done for the day.

"Well," he looked down at his watch that read close to 5:15, "I have to get to Best Buy before they close and then I have to run by the contracting office and then…"

"Spinelli," she could tell he was really too busy for them to hang out, "I'll clean up Jason's apartment."

He felt bad, not only because he was somewhat lying to her, but he felt bad in a way that she needed to feel close to someone right now and tonight it just couldn't be him.

"I'll walk you to your car?" He offered and she nodded grabbing her purse.

He got off the bench where he put his arm around her letting her head rest on his shoulder, "I'll be home late tonight, you can sleep in my bed if you like."

"Where will you sleep?" She asked as they stopped at the foot of the stairs.

He glanced at her, "In my bed where else?"

She smiled at him with content, maybe he didn't have to love her for her to feel close to him, she pondered, maybe she could still sleep in his bed, half naked with him, her hand on his chest, his arm around her and still feel as close to him as she felt last night.

* * *

Next Chapter: Spinelli and Milo argue in front of Sam and Maxie. Maxie is worried about Spinelli. Maxie tells Spinelli some news that she didn't get to tell him last night. Spinelli and Maxie bond over common fears, she comforts him. And a little bit of "When Harry met Sally".

Don't forget to review! Thanks!


	26. Time Out

Chapter 26: Time Out

**Author's Note:**

Hey! So this chapter we get some Sam and Maxie scenes, a fight with Milo and Spinelli which turns into…well the title kind of gives it away. Anyway it's a fun/anger chapter, lol. We'll see Spinelli struggling between the Jackal and the corporate business man. Maxie makes a confession to Sam which I'm hoping doesn't seem like it's too out of character, the dialogue might be too long to believe she might ever say that, but it's none the less sweet. So anyway don't forget to read and review!

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Maxie asked sitting in front of Sam at the kitchen table.

"Better, I don't know what came over me." Sam touched her forehead, "I mean I got sick last night, but that was a hang over."

"A hang over?" Maxie asked wondering with whom she had a hang over with.

"Yeah I went with Milo to a bar to talk about Lucky and then the next thing I know I wake up this morning in bed next to him," Sam nervously smiled.

"Ooooh," Maxie roughly smiled, "That's harsh." She wondered if Sam and Milo, well, she wondered if they slept together, "Did you guys…"

Sam quickly looked at her, "Oh no."

"Are you sure?" Maxie slightly smiled with a laugh building up, "Cause things like that happen."

"Oh no, he and I didn't…In fact I feel really bad cause I gave him a hard time about it, hey…" She leaned in, "Did you know he has an Aston Martin…"

Maxie looked at her clueless as to what that was, "That is…"

"One of the greatest cars ever made, it's a James Bond car," she looked at her wondering if Maxie had ever seen a James Bond film.

Sam stared at her realizing Maxie had no idea what she was talking about, "Anyway here's a guy with a great car, a fantastic apartment and…He's nice."

"Nice?" Maxie slightly laughed, Sam had gone from describing him with a great car and a fantastic apartment only to finish off with 'nice'?

"Well the only time I've really seen Milo is when he's working and he's always so serious," she bit her lip knowing that wasn't true all the time, "When Lulu or Carly aren't around."

"Sam what are you getting at?" Maxie was beginning to get the impression that Sam had a crush on Milo.

"Oh nothing, I'm just trying to figure out how a guy like him is still single, I mean it's understandable why Jason, Sonny, Ric, are all on their own, but guys like Milo and Spinelli…"

"Well Spinelli is a different case," Maxie scooted her chair away from the table and walked to the refrigerator.

"What do you mean?" Sam watched as Maxie puzzling looked in the fridge for something, "Spinelli is a sweet guy, a guy who isn't going to sleep with his best friend, have a baby with her and then lie to you for months about it." Sam obviously still had some bitter feelings from her break up with Jason or maybe she was just stating the facts.

"Yeah, but," Maxie closed the refrigerator wandering over to the cabinet below the sink where she smiled.

"But what?" Sam persisted, "I mean are you saying Spinelli is a different case in like…" _A bad way?_ Sam wondered and Maxie nodded, "No…No I mean."

Maxie set the 2 liter bottle of orange soda on the counter and motioned to a cabinet above her, "I'm just saying that Spinelli is like…" She grabbed a glass, "Spinelli is like the guy that…" Maxie was beginning to lose her train of thought becoming not quite sure what Spinelli is because he's a lot of things to her.

Sam silently laughed as Maxie poured herself a glass of orange soda, obviously Spinelli had rubbed off of her.

Maxie took a sip of the tangy juice before holding her glass in thought, "Spinelli is different because he just is, maybe Milo is the same, but I look at Spinelli and I see…I see everything that I need in him."

She slowly smiled like she had a school girl crush, "He's the guy that makes you laugh when you don't think there's anything to laugh about, he's the guy that will hold you for hours without asking why, without fidgeting, he just holds me until I ask him to let go, he's the guy that thinks about everyone else before himself, whether he agrees with you or not no matter what he's feeling he stands by you, rescues me whenever I need saving…"

She gently set the glass down, "He's the guy who believes in you before you even believe in yourself. He's the guy that tells you everything is going to be okay, he makes you feel safe and because he makes you feel that way you believe every word he says, you actually believe tomorrow will be better. He's the guy that makes you feel alive, who inspires you to be the person you never thought you could be, he changes you without you even knowing." She glanced down at the glass half full of orange soda that she wouldn't have dared drinking years ago.

"He's the guy you miss the minute he leaves the room, he's the last person you want to talk to at night, he's your best friend in the entire world and sometimes I think…he's the guy that you don't know you love until it's too late…" She softly smiled thinking of him in a daze until the sound of the doorbell disrupted her.

She initially jumped with her eyes blinking, "I'll get that, you stay here." Maxie rushed to the front door only to see it was Milo, "Hey." He greeted her.

He walked through the doorway where she poked her head outside, "Where's Spinelli?"

"Oh," Milo turned to her as he took his jacket off, "He had to run a few errands, he should be here soon with a pizza."

"Okay," she frowned in disappointment as she closed the door, "Sam's in the kitchen."

He nodded before walking with her back into the kitchen, "Hey…"

Sam smiled trying not to look flushed, "How did it go?"

"Good," he leaned his back against the counter crossing his arms.

Sam could hear the sigh in his voice, "And…"

"Construction starts tomorrow," he tried to say with more hope.

"That's good," Maxie smiled before glancing at Sam wondering why it seemed like there was something he wasn't telling them.

"Yeah, yeah, it is…" He nervously touched his chin.

Sam looked away from Maxie, "Milo, spit it out."

"What?" He was surprised by her bluntness, "Spit what out?"

Maxie rolled her eyes "What Sam is trying to say is that you're holding back information."

"Well, there's just a lot my mind, I would say the meeting was an overall success, we're in debt, a lot of debt, but man…" Milo pulled out a chair and sat in it, "You should have seen Spinelli."

Maxie's eyes lit up at the mention of his name, "How was he?"

Milo glanced away from Sam, "He was a different person that's how he was."

"Real descriptive Milo," Sam sarcastically said in annoyance, "Care to go in depth."

Milo wasn't humored by her sarcasm, but glanced at Maxie, "You want to know how different he was?"

"That's why we're asking," Maxie frustratingly whined wondering what the big deal was.

"Fine," he leaned back so he could look at both of them, "I've never seen him act this way, in the almost two years I've known him, he's never spoken English, he's never walked into any place with as much confidence as he had, he was sly, harsh, he was like one of them, a corporate business man who knew when they were screwing us over."

In an eerie sense he leaned in panning from Sam to Maxie, "Ladies and gentlemen, prepare yourself for Damian Spinelli."

Maxie looked into his eyes almost worried of what he meant by his words, "I don't understand."

"Hello?" They heard Spinelli's voice echo through the house.

"You'll see," Milo lingered, "We're in the kitchen Spinelli." He shouted.

Maxie looked in Milo's eyes becoming worried that Spinelli had turned _**dark**_.

"Maxie," Milo looked back into her eyes that he knew he had just put fear into, "Don't worry. He's still the same guy you love."

He got up from his chair to greet Spinelli, "I'll take this." He took the pizza box from Spinelli's hands and set it on the counter before washing his hands.

"Hey," Spinelli glanced down at Sam while rolling up his sleeves, "How are you girls this evening?" He glanced at Maxie as his hands rested on his hips.

"Good," Sam replied with a huge grin while Maxie had yet to answer, she was trying to analyze him.

Spinelli looked at Maxie wondering why she didn't welcome him the same way Sam and Milo had, "Everything okay Maximista?"

When he said Maximista all her worries faded away, "Everything is great."

He smiled walking over to sink to wash his hands where seconds later as he dried his hands he turned to them asking, "So what did you ladies do today?"

"Well," Sam glanced at Maxie waiting for Spinelli to join them at the table, "We did some crossword puzzles…"

Maxie giggled glancing at Spinelli who sat in the chair Milo was just sitting in, "And we read some gossip about our favorite stars…"

"Sounds very productive," Milo joked turning away from them to grab four plates from the above cabinet.

"It was," Sam teased back, "It took all the energy out of us, didn't it Maxie?"

"Yup, all of it," Maxie glanced at Spinelli who was still staring at her, happy to see her glowing face despite what happened to her last night.

"I'm glad you guys had fun," Spinelli got up from the chair, "I think they definitely had more fun then we did," Spinelli put his hand on Milo's shoulder who instantly laughed, "That's for sure."

Maxie and Sam stared at each other, "Are you guys going to tell what's going on or what?" Sam looked at Maxie before glancing up at the two guys who innocently turned around to them both looking at one another trying to decide if they should say anything.

"Should we tell them?" Milo asked Spinelli who responded with, "I suppose so, it's obvious to the Jackal that they are desperate to know that we are…how much debt are we in?" He grinned at Milo, both trying to find a way to laugh about it.

"Half a million dollars was it?" Milo raised his eyebrows.

"I think it was a little more than that my friend," Spinelli chirped as he motioned to the next cabinet grabbing two glasses.

Maxie looked at them confused, "You guys are half a million if not more in debt and your laughing?"

Milo glanced at Spinelli, "She's making fun of us."

"That she is," Spinelli glanced away from Milo to Maxie, "Yes, we are. To be exact…"

"Oh don't tell them the exact number, let me keep my appetite," Milo glanced down at his plate of two slices of pepperoni pizza.

"Alright," Spinelli smiled handing him a glass, "We'll spare them the details now."

"Good idea," Milo walked away from him taking back his seat at the table.

"Maximista would you prefer cheese or pep?" He waved his hand over the pizza.

She goofily laughed at him, "You have to ask?"

"Cheese it is my fair lady," he handed her a plate with one slice before glancing up at Sam, "Goddess?"

"I think I'll pass," she smiled.

"As you wish," he turned away from her grabbing two slices of cheese pizza and then taking a seat across from Milo, Maxie to his right, Sam to his left.

They sat at the table for a few minutes, quiet for Sam and Maxie could tell that Spinelli and Milo were happy to listen to silence until Milo pointed at Spinelli like he remembered something, "We have an appointment tomorrow at four with Mrs. Floyd, the mayor's wife."

Spinelli wiped his mouth with a napkin, "When did this come up?"

"Oh right after you left the Metro Court, a waiter came over with a napkin asking us to meet her…" He paused realizing that Maxie and Sam where in the room, it was as if he was so starved for silence that he forgot that it wasn't just him and Spinelli.

"Um, I'll catch you up on the details tomorrow when we're alone," he looked at Sam and then Maxie, "No offense ladies."

"None taken even though I do work for you guys and…"

Milo glared at her with a playful annoyance, "And once we figure out what she wants, you'll be the next person to know."

"Oh," Spinelli interrupted, "I got a phone call from you know who, he said he'll be here, this Thursday, for sure," Spinelli smiled kowing Milo knew whom he was talking about.

Maxie looked at them knibbling on her pizza, "Who's coming here Thursday?"

"Um no one," Milo tried to shush her, but knew his statement didn't exactly make any sense, "Um it's a surprise."

Maxie glanced at Spinelli hoping to catch a hint but he looked at her like a rock, "Sorry Blonde one, you won't get anything from me."

She looked at him annoyed, but took notice that they were almost done eating, those poor boys must have been hungry all day, "So…"

"So," Milo mocked.

Maxie looked at him not humored.

"So," Sam spoke, "I know you guys weren't going to discuss business, but did Jax help at all?" Sam asked looking at Milo before glancing at Spinelli.

"Oh yeah, he helped alright," Milo wiped his mouth with a napkin, "Until we get the place built he offered us the Presidential Sweet."

"That's amazing," Sam excitedly cheered for them.

"Yeah," Milo happily smiled, "But he wasn't there for like half of the meeting cause he and Carly were I guess getting the final results from the specialists, so low and behold your boss shows up," he glanced at Maxie with a huge grin.

"Kate Howard?" Maxie questioned completely surprised.

"Yeah, but Spinelli is the one that talked to her, what were you guys discussing anyways?" Milo glanced up at him who seemed to be completely taken off guard.

"Oh um," Spinelli nervously stalled, "Nothing really, she saw that I was like a nervous wreck and I was…"

"Not from what we heard," Sam smirked before playfully punching his shoulder, "We heard you were quite the dog in the board room."

Spinelli embarrassingly smiled, his cheeks getting rosy red, "Well…"

Maxie curiously looked at Spinelli, "So what did you two talk about?" She wondered if Kate might have asked about her and if Spinelli had mentioned _anything_.

"Just business," he quickly answered, "She gave me some advice."

Milo laughed, "Well it must have been some advice because you went in there like a smooth operator, Diane bet me a hundred dollars that you'd be a mess…"

Spinelli was a little offended by his words as if he wouldn't take the meeting serious, "Well fortunate for you I wasn't."

"No you weren't," Milo answered back with as much tension.

Sam glanced away from Milo to see Maxie's questionable expression of what just happened and then stopped at Spinelli, "But Spinelli always does well under pressure, remember the Metro Court?" She meant the hostage crisis from hell.

Maxie had been locked up in a vault, Milo had to patiently wait outside, so Sam was the only one that saw Spinelli in action, "He had a gun pointed to his head and was still able to open up the vault just in time for me to warn the police and…You were willing to put your life on the line to protect Lulu…"

"Speaking of Lulu," Milo glared at Spinelli, "Did you ever get in touch with her?" It was his turn to get back at Spinelli for getting worked up over nothing earlier.

"Yes I did," Spinelli cringed not at all looking at Maxie who was wondering why he had been talking with Lulu.

"Good," Milo grinned before biting into his pizza.

Maxie glanced at Sam, both feeling extremely awkward as Spinelli and Milo seemed to get more frustrated with each other over such small indiscretions.

"So…" Maxie tried to get another conversation started hoping it wouldn't bring on World War three, "Did Kate help at all in the meeting?"

"Yeah," Spinelli spoke up, "She says it was all Milo and I that got us the deals we wanted, but..." Spinelli glanced at Milo, "We both know it was mostly Jax and Kate."

Maxie looked at him as he continued to drop the Spinelli-isms, he had just said three names without using nick names, _hmmm_ she thought.

Spinelli glanced at Maxie, "She was quiet most of the time. It's a little different from running a magazine."

Milo finished his last slice of pizza before tossing his wrinkled napkin onto his plate, "I'm just glad Jax showed up."

"Me too," Spinelli nodded in agreement staring back at Milo letting the tension that was once very noticeable becoming nonexistent, "I don't even think Kate could have saved us. Those contractors, they were going to send us into the deep, the deepest of debts if it weren't for Jax." Spinelli crossed his arms leaning back in his chair.

Milo got up from the table, "I know, I can't believe they wanted two million to build the place, it's like 'Hello' I just told you we only have like eight hundred thousand, we're not a bank."

Spinelli laughed, "The looks on their faces when Jax lectured them…" Spinelli got up from the table putting the plate on the counter while nodding like it was the greatest thing ever.

"Priceless," Milo grinned before he and Spinelli looked back at Sam and Maxie who wondered when they were going to acknowledge them.

"No you guys should have seen it, Spinelli," Milo grabbed onto his shoulders, "Was in this heated argument saying the construction should only cost like…1.2 Million? For the time we needed it done in?" Spinelli nodded, "Anyway," Milo continued, "He's arguing with the guy and Jax walks in…"

Spinelli looked back at Milo, "Within two minutes the guys were at our beck and call, _okay sir_, _right sir_, _of course_, _yes_, it was hilarious."

Spinelli glanced back at Milo laughing with him, "It was just the greatest."

"I bet," Maxie smiled with excitement, "I wish I could have seen it." She really wished she could have seen this other side of Spinelli which was sort of coming to light, but not entirely as the way Milo had described it.

Sam glanced away from Maxie knowing she was done talking and then glanced up at Milo and Spinelli still confused, "So help me understand how you're in debt again? I thought Jax would have offered to pay for everything."

"Well," Milo looked at Spinelli, "That's what he and I have to discuss."

"What's there to discuss?" Maxie looked at them just as confused as Sam, "If he's offering to cover it all then I don't know, I mean in debt…" She raised one hand, "Not in debt," she raised her other, "I think I would go with 'not in debt" she weighted the hand down.

"It's complicated," Spinelli shortly said where he and Milo returned to their seats.

Maxie quickly responded, "I don't understand how it is? Why would you guys want to be in debt?"

Milo cringed at just having to say the words, "First of all Maxie we're six hundred and fifty thousand dollars in debt."

"Which is chump change for a billionaire," Maxie was still clueless.

"Yes right Maximista, but it's more complicated then that," he looked up at Milo wondering if the conversation should continue anymore.

"Spinelli," Sam turned to him, "He's not going to make you pay him back."

Milo quickly spoke up, "It's not the money we're worried about," he snapped in frustration, "Damn it, of course we'd love it if someone could cover it all, but there's a price, our image."

"And Jax is going to give you a bad image?" Sam looked at him like this was all absurd.

"The white knight is rather saddened by Michael," Spinelli glanced at Maxie, "So much so he's lost faith in your father and the department."

Maxie looked at him somewhat taken by his words, "My dad doesn't even come home anymore, he's working all day and night trying to figure out who shot Michael."

Milo sighed, "Apparently it's not enough. He wants to promote us as better than the police and that was never our intention, we want to help the police not make enemies with them…"

"And at this point we can't afford to have anymore enemies," Spinelli finished.

Maxie looked at Spinelli slightly worried, "I thought the whole point of you and Milo leaving the…was to not have anymore enemies…"

Milo slightly laughed, "Well it was the point." He glanced at Spinelli slowly getting up from the table.

Spinelli looked at him wondering what Milo's glare at him was supposed to instigate, "Maximista we're always going to have enemies unfortunately."

"Well who?" Maxie looked at him wondering all and all who were candidates to be these "enemies" that they spoke of for everyone that was ever an enemy of Sonny and Jason had been dealt with, Manny Ruiz, Alcazar, Diego, Anthony Zacchara was insane, so who really would be a problem.

"Darth Lansing," Spinelli listed.

Milo pushed his glass against the water fountain on the outside door of the fridge, "Don't forget the Zacchara family."

Maxie looked at Milo, "But Anthony is insane and I thought Johnny had made a pact with Sonny and Jason."

Milo laughed, "That's shot to hell now, if Johnny had anything to do with Michael getting shot, a mob war will break out like this," he snapped his fingers, "Everyone is going to be a target if they're not already."

"But you don't think he did it do you?" Maxie glanced at Spinelli wondering if he had any information pointing to him.

Spinelli nervously looked at her, "Nothing in my findings say he put the hit on little Michael, but…"

"But that's good," Maxie interrupted, "Why go looking for trouble; Johnny wouldn't want to shoot a little twelve year old."

"Come on Maxie," Milo took a sip of his water, "Sure no one meant for a kid to get hurt, the rules have always been to leave the women and children out of our business, but a child is in a coma, someone has to pay."

"But that's the thing," Sam interrupted Maxie from responding back to Milo's comments, "Why does there have to be revenge?"

"Because," Milo set his glass down, "It's just how it works."

"And we're supposed to take it?" Maxie looked at him like this was ridiculous, she was almost as upset as Lulu was the minute Spinelli told she and Johnny that Michael had been shot, "Just sit back and watch everyone kill each other over a misunderstanding over something that we can learn from?"

"Sucks doesn't it?" Sam quickly answered, "Even I'm still a target and I'm not even with Jason anymore, once your in the mob, in a way, you're always in the mob."

Milo looked at Sam like she might slightly be over reacting a bit, but before he could say anything Spinelli interrupted by looking at Maxie saying, "I don't think Johnny would kill me or Milo or anyone that's important to Lulu."

"Johnny doesn't care about Lulu," Milo fired back, "And it's stupid for us to think that he won't become trigger happy if the police or you and I think we've got something connecting him to Michael or to Lucky…who is Lulu's brother."

"But that's the thing, why would he kill Lucky? Lucky was undercover at some Motel following a drug trail, he wasn't close to finding out who shot Michael, so I beg the question, if he did have something to do with Michael, why would he put himself under much more scrutiny and have to officers killed?"

"You think Lucky's dead?" Sam looked at Spinelli wondering if that's what they thought, if they had given up on the fact that he was alive.

"No, we don't," Milo quickly tried to shoot down her worries. "You are putting blind faith into this man, why?" Milo stared at Spinelli looking for a justification.

"I'm not putting blind faith into him, but if you commit a crime, you don't commit another one within days of each other, you wait weeks," he didn't understand why Milo couldn't understand this, this was text book analysis of murders, "But like I said I don't think Johnny is responsible for Lucky's disappearance," Spinelli corrected himself this time for Sam's sake, "He wouldn't betray her like that."

"Oh, but he'll tell her that they can't be together," Milo wanted to laugh in disbelief.

"Look I never said I liked the guy," Spinelli got up from his chair grabbing his glass, "I don't like any of the guys Lulu's been with lately…" He turned away from them setting his glass on the counter.

Maxie was slightly thrown off by his words, she didn't think he still paid attention to who she was with and she certainly didn't think he had such a strong opinion about it.

Spinelli leaned his back on the counter, "I think he's a lot of things, but stupid isn't one of them."

Milo laughed, rolling his eyes, "Yeah of course you'd say that."

"I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt like Jason would," Spinelli crossed his arms feeling like he was looking at Mr. Corinthos Sir.

"Now," Milo raised his voice, "Now you're being stupid…Putting a hit on Sonny which resulted in a kid being shot, isn't smart," Milo once again poked around the idea that Johnny was responsible.

"No it's not," Spinelli obviously agreed, "But who do you think influenced him? Huh?" Spinelli rested comfortably against the counter, "Jason believed he wanted nothing to do with his father's work, Jason believed him I believed him, I'm sure that's how Lulu fell in love with him, bad guy, good heart, then Claudia comes to town…The fact is our enemy is Claudia."

Milo huffed, "Claudia great," Milo wondered when Spinelli decided this, "That's real fucking great that you come to that realization right now after you've already pissed the hell out of her today!"

Spinelli rolled his eyes, irritated that he brought that up, "I'm not talking about this anymore."

"No what happened today?" Maxie looked at Spinelli who didn't say anything.

Milo flared his arms around, "Well, are you going to tell her or should I?"

He could feel his blood boiling, anger within him trying to find an escape like pressure building up in pipes that were about to explode any second with steam, "You know what don't do this!" Spinelli walked away from the counter pointing at him, "Don't pin this on me!" He walked towards Milo, "You backed me up, you said right after Lulu thought what I did was stupid, you supported me, you offered to buy me a drink," Spinelli humorously laughed wondering why Milo was turning on him, "Don't you dare stand here and make me the villain!"

"Okay guys," Sam spoke seriously, trying to get the two to stop this irrational behavior of theirs.

Milo waited for Spinelli to stop right in front of him where he glared at him once more, fumes of fire rising within his mouth, "It was stupid to threaten her, it was stupid to grab her wrist and practically tell her that we're the new fucking police in town."

Spinelli humorously huffed placing his hand on his face, he couldn't believe this. Dropping his hand down he looked up at Milo, "I never mentioned your name so why the hell are you yelling at me for?" Spinelli looked at him hurt, "I didn't put your name on the line, I put my name on the line…" Spinelli pointed to himself, "I put my name on the line right after I told her that Johnny would be embarrassed to have a sister running around accusing people he cared about for his misfortunes," Spinelli grinded his teeth, "Lulu needed defending and that's what I did, she's our friend whose obviously a target that needs to be protected."

"Right," Milo annoyingly nodded trying to believe his words.

"You know if this is going to be a sign of what running a business with you is going to be like then maybe we need to call the whole thing off because I don't need this…" Spinelli backed away, he needed the hype of the conversation to go down, he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep up this arguing without cracking, "Remember you came to me. I thought we were at least a few months away, but no, you couldn't handle poor Mr. Bi Polar Sir, a sick man who lost his kid."

"Fuck you," Milo pushed him.

Maxie and Sam quickly rushed up from their seats, "Milo…" Maxie begged in disbelief for him to stop.

Spinelli looked at him flustered realizing he had over stepped his boundaries, "Okay man…" Spinelli put his hands up in defense, but Milo pushed him again.

"Come on guys, let's just sit down…" Sam tried to get them under control but Spinelli interrupted, "It's okay," he looked away from her as Milo backed him into a corner, the doorframe of the kitchen to be exact.

Pointing his finger into Spinelli's face he bitterly spoke, "I guarded that kid for three years! Three years! Never a scratch on him! I can't look Sonny in the eyes anymore; I won't take a bullet for a man who was ignorant and stupid enough to think his enemies won't touch him!"

Milo stared at him, huffing and puffing, "I won't see you do the same thing." He leaned away before placing his hands on his hips, "I thought you wanted to leave this life."

He looked down at the floor disappointedly nodding, "Man." He looked up, "I thought you wanted to become a family man, I thought you wanted to meet someone and have a family with them…" Milo glared at him seeing Spinelli's eyes not exactly glance at Maxie, but they acknowledged her.

"Cause if that's what you want," Milo pointed at him walking closer to him, "Which is what I want, we a) can't keep working for Sonny and Jason and b) we can't be at each other's throats." Milo sincerely finished off his words hoping the fighting could stop for he as well as Spinelli knew the whole fight had gotten way out of hand.

"Then don't be my wing man one minute and then completely leave me hanging, cause that's what killed Goose, his wing man left him and the plane went into a jet spin…So don't one minute support what I do and then go behind my back and say I'm an idiot…" He saw Milo's nod like that wasn't entirely what he was intentionally trying to do.

"Don't," Spinelli warned, "If you're going to put me in charge, make me the boss, don't you dare reprimand me again like you just did here, don't because I know what I'm doing, Jason trusts me."

"Well I'm not Jason! You aren't working with Jason, it's me…" Milo was getting tired of this, tired of being compared to Jason.

Spinelli looked at him in the eyes that were misunderstanding his words, this wasn't about Jason, when he mentioned him, it was about trust, "I know your not like Jason, but damn it, trust me, trust me like he does," Spinelli looked at him in the eyes feeling betrayed by the person he thought was his friend.

"…Otherwise this isn't going to work," he turned to walk out of the doorway of the kitchen where he turned to Milo one last time, "If I don't have you on my side then what the hell is the point." Spinelli sadly turned away from him stepping into the direction of the stairs needing to collect his thoughts, needing to be alone for he felt like his mind was going a mile a minute and he had no idea how to stop and slow down, it brought tears to his eyes, he was changing and he didn't know how stop.

Milo looked up at Spinelli who instantly planted his hands on his face, it was the same stressful gesture he had made throughout the entire day, he was tired Spinelli was tired, both having to deal with so much in such a short amount of time.

"I do trust you," Milo turned to him standing in the doorway, "I trust you Spinelli, I never meant to imply that I didn't," he walked out from the kitchen wiping his hand through his hair.

"But man if we're going to do the things that we're setting out to do, we can't let Claudia or you know who get to us, we have to strategize, they can never see us coming, that's what I'm here for remember?" Milo humorously laughed.

Spinelli turned around nodding, "I'm the tech."

"Dillon is the director…" Milo stopped in front of him.

"And you're the mobster," Spinelli grinned, it wasn't exactly what they had called each other in the past, but it worked, just for today.

The two friends looked at each other wishing the argument had never blown over like it did especially in front of Maxie and Sam who just seemed shocked, speechless, possibly even worried.

"I'm sorry," Spinelli rubbed his eyes, "It's just been a long day."

"I know," Milo laughed because he was so tired, "Too long," he couldn't even remember what time he got up at, but as he looked at Spinelli whom he knew was more tired he offered a hand.

"I'll see you tomorrow at seven in Jason's office?"

"Yeah," Spinelli shook his hand, "We are a bunch of bone heads you know that?"

"Yeah, if Dillon had been here I could say we were the three stooges," he laughed and then Spinelli laughed and then finally Sam and Maxie could hear laughter, ala peace.

Sam looked at Maxie in the kitchen, "I think I'm going to take Milo home."

"Okay," Maxie looked at her realizing that while perhaps Sam needed to tend to Milo, Maxie needed to do the same thing, Spinelli was not well at least not in her eyes.

Spinelli looked up from their hands and saw Maxie and Sam in the doorway, his eyes wandered to Milo, and the two turned around, "We're making peace so you don't have to worry about that argument you just saw." Milo explained.

Sam put her hands into her pockets, "Yeah we know, we know you two would be able to work out your fifth grader like problems and find a way to coexist." She sarcastically teased knowing they didn't want Maxie or her to ask any questions right now about what just happened.

"Yup," Maxie crossed her arms, "Because if you to had decided to take it out with your fists, I would have had you two arrested."

"Arrested?" Spinelli looked at her wanting to laugh.

"Um yes," Maxie insisted.

"On what charges?" Milo asked in disbelief.

"What do you think?" Maxie glanced at Sam who explained, "Well boys, there's assault, property damage, I'm sure fighting in the Commissioner's house is breaking some rule…"

"Most definitely," Maxie looked at her smiling, "Good one."

"Thank you," Sam playfully smiled before seriously looking at them, "Milo we're leaving, you're in time out."

Milo chuckled, "Why do I get timeout and he doesn't?" Milo motioned his hand with his thumb pointing at Spinelli.

Spinelli looked at him, "Cause you pushed me."

Milo looked back at them, "It was understandable wasn't it?" He shrugged his shoulders pleading his case, this bizarre case of a twenty-two year old getting a time out.

"Milo, car now," Sam pointed to the door.

Milo looked at Spinelli wondering why he felt compelled to listen to her, "Guess I'll…"

"No talking," Sam walked from the doorway to make her way over to the coffee table.

Spinelli watched as Milo walked to the front door with his Jacket in hand and Sam following behind him with her purse playfully hitting him.

"Ow…" Milo looked at her like she was nuts.

"That was for scaring us," Sam opened the door, "Give me the keys."

"What?" Milo was still rubbing his head.

"I'm driving," she looked at him very serious.

Milo looked up at Spinelli who was trying to keep a straight face, but ended up giggling.

"What are you laughing about?" Maxie playfully looked at him trying to be mad.

"Uh…" Spinelli looked at her speechless.

"There are a ton of dishes in there that need washing, I don't do dishes and if you think you're not getting a time out you're wrong…" She pointed to the kitchen.

Milo smirked where Sam noticed, "You, out the door, you've been a very bad boy."

Milo laughed at what they both had gotten themselves into, perhaps arguing wasn't so bad after all, "See you Spinelli!"

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Next Chapter: It's just too good for me to give any hints, really it just is.

Review!

Thanks!


	27. In the deep

Chapter 27: In the deep

**Author's Note:**

Best Spixie chapter, hands down, right here. I've decided this is the best chapter so far besides the "Yours Forever" one that I wrote for Jolu. (Sigh take a deep breath) So this has to be one of the most emotionally chapters, the ups and downs of Spinelli and Maxie finally opening her eyes to what's been in front of her. There's a possible hint in the chapter to the future of this story. My inspiration for this chapter, which I really had no idea it was coming to this, was from the song "In the deep" by Bird York. It's from the movie Crash which I just saw a couple of days ago and fell in love with the music from it. This song is basically all I listened to when writing this and I definitely suggest you look it up and listen to it, it's a beautiful song. Don't forget to review and enjoy!

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Spinelli watched as Sam closed the front door and then casually slid his hands into his pocket walking towards Maxie where just as he stopped in front of her he said words he probably would have never known to say, "Have I been a bad boy?"

Maxie quickly put her hands on her hips wanting to say something sarcastic, but lost her train of thought when she accidentally touched a bruise and instantly showed an ounce of pain on her face.

"Are you okay?" He motioned forward becoming apologetic for his behavior, "I'm sorry, Milo and I shouldn't have gone off on each other like we did," he gently motioned to touch her arm, "Let me help you to the couch."

"No," she brushed his arm off, "I'm fine."

He stood there in the doorway of the kitchen, "Don't say that."

She looked at him with attitude, "What?" It was like he was telling her what to feel.

"Don't say that you're fine when I know your not." He motioned to help her again but she brushed him off.

"Spinelli I have to learn to be fine with it, tomorrow when I go to work…"

He looked at her completely mystified, "You're not going to work tomorrow."

"Yes I am," she gently put her hands on her hips this time, "I am and there's nothing you can do about it."

He disappointingly nodded at her, "Fine, act like nothing happened to you. In fact since you're going to act like some pig didn't mistreat you last night, I my as well decide not figure who did that to you," he gently touched her chin slowly moving her head from left to right, "Who put that bruise on your neck."

He saw her bitter face and removed his hand from her chin, "Who cut your leg last night," he glanced down the cut he could see.

"Stop it," she glared at him with her lip trembling like this was cruel.

He pouted seeing the tears in her eyes and couldn't find himself to say anything in return. Part of him hurting because he made her cry, part of him annoyed that she wanted to ignore what happened thus convincing him that perhaps Sam was right; perhaps they should have gone to the police this morning.

He looked away from her into the kitchen, "Um I'm gonna do the dishes and then I'll leave…" He gulped, clenching his jaw before walking into the kitchen not once looking at her.

She was crushed, she closed her eyes slowly moving to the wall next to the door frame realizing she had just pushed him away, she had done one thing she never wanted to do, it made her cry the rest of the tears built up in her eyes.

He placed all the plates and cups in the sink letting the faucet run before grabbing the pizza box and putting it in the fridge never once wandering his eyes outside to see how her vulnerable figure was holding up to his coldness.

Standing at the sink, watching the sink fill up with water he glanced up at the window in front of him staring at the dark gloomy street, the stars that refused to shine the moon that would rather not be seen. _Stop it_ replayed in his mind, the tears in her eyes, the tears he put there trying to make a point instead of just doing what she asked. Frustrated he turned the sink off and placed his hands on the edge of the counter leaning in on it before jerking his head down and closing his eyes that so easily filled up with tears.

She heard the water stop and curiously peered in to see him hunched over the counter silently whimpering. The last thing she ever wanted to do was hurt him, was make him more upset then he already was and she had done just that.

He would have kept his eyes closed forever, not because he was tired, but because the minute he closed them he saw a picture, a blurred picture of bliss that never grew into focus no matter how long his eyes were closed. All that could really be seen were colorful pixels. All that could be heard were her laughs. His happiness was short lived as usual, but only for a brief second when her touch, her hand on his distracted him. He no longer needed to dream of her, she was right there next to him.

He sadly glared at her before looking down to his hand where he slowly looked away feeling a tear slip from his eyelash.

She took his hand that was firmly on the counter, the hand that she had touched moments ago, and let it dangle in her hand thus removing the boundary that was once preventing her from stepping closer to him. As she moved in front of him, blocking the sink, the window, she stood in front of him tenderly holding his hand, trying to look into his that he wouldn't let her see, "I'm sorry."

He dropped his shoulders with a sigh as his eyes looked up that the ceiling while his nostrils flared and his face showing hate at the fact that she just apologized, "Don't be sorry," his eyes glanced at her for a mere second before resting on the tile floor, "Please." He refused to look at her not wanting her to see that he had been crying, _again_.

She slowly moved each of her hands up his arms to his neck trying to some how sooth him, "Tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing," he sniffled, "I'm fine." He arched his right shoulder to smear his tears on his arm so that his face could look at her.

"See," he smiled, his eyes were still red and watery, "I'm fine, it's just been a long day that I want to forget."

"I know you're not fine," she softly said looking into his eyes that grew weaker as she said that. She knew she was being a hypocrite because just moments ago he was trying to tell her that she wasn't fine, but that was different, she thought, this was far more serious in her eyes, a friend screaming for help.

"I am," he tried to confidently tell her, "I'm fine, I'm just a little tired, but I'm okay, I'm…I'm here…for you." He tried to finish off strongly seeing as this morning when he found her in Kelly's he melted in front of her.

"But," she raised her hand to his cheek looking directly into his blue berry eyes, "Who's here for you?"

He clenched his jaw hoping the longer he held it, the longer he could prevent the tears in his eyes from escaping and trailing down his soft warm cheeks.

She sweetly looked into his eyes that were so lost in the tears built up that she softly whispered, "Huh? Who's here for you?"

His short breaths seemed to be more painful as he tried to keep it in, keep all his feelings in that he thought if he didn't show then perhaps they didn't exist.

She leaned in staring into his still blue eyes where she kissed his cheek and then leaned away softly, "huh?" She kissed his neck, "Who's…" She kissed his shoulder, "Here…" She kissed his upper chest, "For…" She motioned to kiss his heart that was barely beating, "You…"

She slowly leaned away looking up at him, "Who?"

She softly looked at him seeing the restraint in his face, the restraint to let it all out, "I know who," she slowly nodded before moving to his ear, resting her cheek against his, whispering, "Me."

He slowly raised his hand to touch hers, he wanted to gently removed it and kiss her palm to show some amount of gratitude, but she wouldn't let him. She leaned her cheek off of his and smiled at the face that just didn't know what to feel anymore, "It's okay." She slowly smiled, "I'm here for you."

His eyes searched hers, looking for trust, looking for the truth in her words and then she said them again, "I'm here for you" as if she could see he didn't believe her the first time. He stopped searching and just stared at her where she slowly began to nod trying to communicate to him that it was okay to break down in front of her, she wouldn't dare judge him, not the man she loved in so many ways that she couldn't explain.

In that very tender moment his lip stopped trembling, his tears streamed from his eyes and his hands moved to the counter where he ever so slowly dropped his head to her shoulder, whimpering, "I don't know who I am."

"…And it scares the hell out of me," he let out a loud sob.

"Oh," she softly cracked not at all expecting the deep range of emotions to seep out of him, she always thought he was strong, _he is strong_, she corrected herself, so strong she never thought this side of him existed.

He tried to explain himself, "I don't know what to do, how to feel, I just…" But the more he tried the more he wanted to curl up into a ball and go to a place he'd never gone to before.

"Shh…" She wrapped her hands around his neck, "We'll fix this." She leaned her head against his brown curls gently kissing them.

"I can't be fixed..." He said with no hope at all, like it wasn't in the cards for him.

She hiccupped at his words that she found humorous, "Everyone can be fixed." She stroked his hair, smiling.

"How do you know?" He slightly lifted his forehead from her shoulder, looking into her eyes, "How are you so sure?"

She warmly smiled placing her hands on his cheeks lifting his face higher and then once she had him where she wanted, she looked straight into his eyes, "Because you fixed me."

He didn't want to believe her, he didn't want to believe that he was so grand, so worthy enough to have the elements, the skills, the things needed for one to quote "fix" a person, but she did, she believed in him, even when she didn't like him, she stuck with him.

She saw the glimmer of hope in a smile forming in the corner of his mouth and then ever so gently took her hands off his cheeks and took his hands in hers and slowly walked him out of the kitchen and upstairs to her bedroom.

She kept the light off, for some reason the dark mixed in with the moonlight from her window added calmness to the day's dramatic events. She closed the door as he stood there wondering what was going on, of course it was on his mind but he had told her 'no' earlier, he had made it very clear, he thought.

She took his hand and walked him to the foot of the bed where she gently sat him down. Looking down on him her fingers wandered down to his tie where she slowly unraveled it and pulled it from the collar. Her fingers moved from the corners of his collar to the first button on his dark red dress shirt where just as she began to undue the first button he touched her hands becoming hesitant.

She spoke before he could, "Spinelli, trust me." She told him in the voice that made him listen to her.

He dropped his hands to his lap and let her undue the rest of the buttons where she then pulled his shirt up from his pants. Once the shirt was no longer tucked in she moved her hands to his right shoulder and slowly took his arm out of the shirt. Gently setting his hand down, she moved the other and slowly pulled the shirt off to the floor. She then stared at him for a very long minute, she remembered shirtless Spinelli from a few days ago, how it peeked her interest, but this was entirely different, even when he was naked in the cannery, it was all just very different this time.

He wasn't perfectly built as Coop's body was, he wasn't as broad in the shoulders as Logan, he wasn't as flat on the stomach as Jessie or even Lucky, Spinelli was average and she still found him more attractive then ever. She placed her hands on his lap spreading his legs apart before moving to his belt, where he once again stopped her.

Raising his hand to her cheek, his other hand in hers, dangling, he wasn't sure where this was headed, but he didn't want her to do something she was going to regret or make him regret, "You don't have to do this."

"You need me," she intimately whined.

"Not like this," he warmly smiled.

She admired his gentlemen behavior; _he really meant no_. "I'm not going to do anything you don't want to do. I'm not going to do anything I don't want to do."

He was puzzled by her remark because it continued to leave him wondering what exactly she was planning on doing with him and where his mind was currently set on it didn't exactly change when she ripped his belt off. She unbuttoned his pants, pulled down the zipper and then slowly got down on her knees to remove the silly black shoes he still had on. Tossing them off, she pulled his pants off and then set them on the floor where she stood up and wandered to the side of the bed to pull the sheets back and remove a few pillows they could do without. Walking to the front of the bed she turned her back to him, "Get comfortable Spinelli."

_Holy roman gods, holy Greek gods, holy all the other gods out there, this is it,_ but he found himself still wanting to tell her that he didn't want to do it, although he was lost, stressed, and feeling so many things at once, he didn't need sex to deal with it, he wanted their first time together to mean something more than just comfort, but two souls coming together as one.

He crawled backwards to the pillows on the bed and threw himself under the sheets where he quickly tossed his black socks off and then looked up at her, "Okay."

"Alright," she turned around where he noticed she had something in her hand, he couldn't tell what it was, but it was something.

She crawled into bed with him, her robe still intact and then brought herself closer to him who was just lying on his side staring at her.

"I want you to know," she began stroking his brown curls, "It was on my mind."

He realized perhaps now, in a sense of relief that they weren't going to have sex, "It was?"

"Yeah," she slowly nodded with a smile.

"Well I'm glad we're not doing it…" He paused at the pun he put in place, but she encouraged while giggling for him to continue, "I want to be a whole person when we…"

"But you are," she cupped his cheek, "You are, just because you're feeling things that you've never felt before doesn't mean your not whole, it just means your human."

She could see he didn't know how to respond to her words, "I know you're scared for yourself, for Milo for even Lulu…"

"And you," he looked at her taking her hand off his cheek, "Sometimes it's so bad that I…" He paused looking away from her.

"I really scared you this morning didn't I?" She realized perhaps more than ever, then since this morning that she had some how made him care about her in that way.

"You have no idea," he motioned with his hand showing her, "it was like my heart was being ripped out of my chest, I never want to feel that again," he kissed her hand, "Never. So promise me Maxie promise me no matter what happens we'll always be friends."

"Of course," she instantly raised her other hand, "I can't imagine my life without you. You are my best friend. I would never want to push you away." She put her arms around him whispering, "And don't let me."

"I won't, I'll try," however he wasn't sure if he actually could though, hang onto her if her desired wish was to be away from him.

"Try harder," because she knew she would, it was something she was always afraid of, losing him, her rock and if death didn't become him like it had to so many others, then something else would and she didn't think she could deal losing him in any other way.

They leaned out of the hug, "So I thought we could watch a little TV, I know you're tired so…" She turned to the front of her bed and pushed the power button on the remote in her hand.

The TV turned and she looked back at him, "What do you want to watch?"

"Whatever makes you happy," he smiled.

"Spinelli, preference please," it was always a nice line, 'whatever makes you happy' but she needed something with more substance.

"I don't know, I don't watch TV," and he didn't to be honest, everything was always on the computer.

"Alright well," she gave him the remote, "Why don't you scan around while I get out of this robe."

"Um okay," he looked at her not quite sure how to use it.

"Up and down arrow keys are the channels," she chuckled, getting out of bed and grabbing something from her dresser where she got dressed in the closet.

He looked at the remote and began to push the rubbery buttons, "So does this mean I'm no longer in time out?" His eyes scanned to the closet.

She rolled her eyes, "No, I think you've suffered enough." She appeared from the closet in silky pink nightgown.

He glanced away from the TV and smiled, "See that, that makes me happy."

She looked at him wondering what he was thinking, "Spinelli…"

He knew he needed to explain himself and once he did she hopefully wouldn't think he was a pervert, "Well see you're all covered up, I was thinking you were coming to bed with lingerer on…"

She walked from the closet, "And what would you have done if I had?"

"Gone downstairs," he goofily smiled.

"Why?" She stopped at the side of the bed with her hands grasping the comforter.

"To find another place to sleep."

"What because I wouldn't be attractive enough to sleep next to?" She crawled into bed.

"On the contrary, you would be so attractive that I wouldn't be able to go asleep at all," he slowly grinned.

She playfully pushed him, "Spinelli you goof…" She laughed turning away from him, "So what did you decide?"

"Oh well nothing," he gave her the remote and she turned the volume up.

They watched as the credits roll and suddenly Maxie gasped with excitement, "No way."

"What?" He wandered his eyes over to her face.

"One of the greatest movies ever made is about to come on," she was excited knowing he probably had never seen this and as he said the title of the movie that came on the screen, "When Harry met Sally?" She knew it was something foreign to him.

"Have you seen it?" She asked anyway perhaps he had seen it with Lulu, guys never usually remember the romantic comedy movies they've seen.

He pulled himself up in the bed to lean against more pillows, "I don't think so, what's it about?"

"Well it's about these two people who, who aren't friends at first, they can't even stand each other…"

"Like us…" Spinelli teased.

"What are you…Well yeah I did think you were weird…"

"And I just thought you were blonde."

"Hey," she evilly tickled him bringing herself closer to him. She looked at him wondering if it would be okay to place her hand on his chest and rest her head on his shoulder, but he answered her questions by putting his arm around her waist, "Go ahead…" He looked at her like it was okay because he needed to feel close to someone and since she wasn't rushing him out the house to turn to Lulu, he my as well lean on her.

She rested comfortable on him before continuing, "Anyway they keep seeing each other every couple of years and they become friends and then they fall in love."

"I see, so…"

"Shh…" She quieted him down for the movie opened up with the elderly couple discussing how they met.

"…You know of course that we could never be friends…" The TV spoke in Billy Crystal's voice as Harry Burns, "…Men and Women can't be friends because the sex part always gets in the way."

"So not true," Maxie exclaimed.

"Really," he glanced down at her.

"Well sure, I'm friends with Milo and Dillon and I don't feel myself wanting to be with them," she looked up at him, "Just like you and Lulu, there's no…"

"No," he quickly answered, "Lulu and I are just friends."

"So you didn't stand up to Claudia today because…"

"No," he quickly answered for more reasons then one, "Let's watch the movie."

She found it interesting that he was so eager to watch the movie, to change the subject. Playing with his hand in front of her she hesitantly asked, "Just wondering, cause you never really gave me an answer, but where were you last night?"

"Um working with Jason and Milo," he told her wanting to pretend to form an explanation.

"So you weren't with Lulu?" She waited a second before glancing up at him.

"No…" He tried to say confidently, but at the same time wondered if he had been with Lulu how exactly Maxie would feel about it because it wasn't like he was with her, Maxie had not claimed him or acted as if they were anything more then just friends, so was it really her business?

"I'm sorry," he apologized, "I'm sorry Jason distracted me."

She glanced up at him, "You don't have to explain." She leaned in kissing the corner of his mouth.

"But had I showed up, what were you going to tell me?" It was still on his mind, was she going to tell him that she wanted more than friendship, was it a "thanks" or was it two people getting together.

"Kate offered me a job," she placed her hand on his cheek opposite to her, "She really liked the article."

"I told you she would," he kissed her forehead, "Congratulations." He smiled at her.

"You were the only person I really wanted to tell," she smiled happily now that he knew that he was proud of her, "I couldn't have done it without you though," she rubbed her thumb along his cheek.

"Nonsense," he rolled his eyes.

"Spinelli," she always felt undeserving of his compliments.

"Maximista," he looked at her to stop feeling unworthy, "You worked hard for that promotion, me or luck had nothing to do with it."

"Sure," she glanced away from him looking back at the TV.

He yawned shortly after and Maxie glanced up, "Uh oh someone's tired."

Spinelli pressed his eyelids, "I can watch the rest of the movie." He didn't want her to go to sleep early on his account.

"Spinelli we can go to sleep if you want…"

"No, no, it's so early, not even 8 yet, in fact," he tried to slowly get up, "Maybe I should go downstairs and finish washing those dishes…"

"Or," she turned to him playfully pushing him down, "Maybe you should let Robin take care of them when she and Patrick decide to stop by in an hour," she suggested.

"I can't let a woman with child do such a chore," he stupidly grinned like it would be wrong to do that.

_Like washing dishes was a chore,_ Maxie gasped with laughter, "And why not?" She pulled herself up from the bed and shifted herself to him.

"Because a pregnant woman is already carrying a seven pound wee one that's enough work…" He tried not to laugh at his own words, "And sometimes there nine pounds."

Suddenly without thinking she playfully asked, "And so what would you do if I were pregnant?" She thought there was no harm in pondering the thought.

"Well," he had to think about it carefully so instead of proposing a hypothetical situation where she and him were together he proposed an idea of him being the friend, the best friend, "If I was just your friend, say not in any relation to the wee one whom I hope would not be a girl because then I would have to buy Girl Scout cookies from her…"

"Spinelli," she laughed hitting him where she sort of fell on top of his chest. Looking into his eyes she nervously spoke, "Serious though…"

"Seriously?" He watched her lean away from being on top of him.

"Seriously," she smiled wondering of she shouldn't have asked the question at all.

He licked his lips thinking hard about the question before looking up at her, "Well if no guy was in the picture, say you had gotten yourself into some trouble, not like I think you're the type to get yourself into trouble…" He felt like an idiot now, he had just insulted her, "but…"

"Spinelli…" She touched his hand instigating that she was not offended she just wanted him to get to the point.

"Well," he nervously gulped not wanting to sound sappy as she patiently sat in front of him, "If you were all alone…" He knew he was probably going to regret this later, _but she asked_, "I'd take care of you."

He began to elaborate, "As your best friend I would be there for you every step of the way, I'd pamper you, make sure you and the baby were okay…have everything you need. I'd keep you safe and make sure you had nothing to worry about, that's what I would do."

There was so much she had yet to know about him, _so much_ as she looked into his eyes completely in disbelief of the man in front of her, she was the lucky one, she always was. "You'd do really do that for me?"

He nodded, "We're friends aren't we? Friends help each other out and if you wanted my help if something like that came along, like you and I weren't together and I wasn't going to be the father of your off spring of a beautiful baby girl with your blonde hair and fashion sense…" He saw her giggle, "If it was someone else's wee one, it wouldn't matter to me, I'd still be your best friend willing to help you in anyway you'd let me."

He looked down at her hand that she just squeezed, "…I'd do anything for you," he looked into her eyes, "Anything."

An awkward pause set in, he could see he had left her speechless so he continued speaking hoping to end the moment that he felt embarrassed about, "And if in some galaxy far far away you and I were married and you were having my progeny…in a hypothetical like it would probably never happen…You'd get everything I just mentioned plus a gorgeous house, a dog or cat whatever you prefer, a father who would take his daughter door to door selling fattening girl scout cookies at a whopping twenty dollars a box and you'd get a husband who would weight on you hand and foot…" He shrugged his shoulders, "So you see either way there are props to having mwhaw…" He pointed to himself trying to get her to laugh but instead saw her soft grin.

"You're wonderful," she began stroking his brown hair, "You know that?" She told him not giving him a chance to respond, "I mean…" She lowered her hand from his hair to his hand, both hands holding his, "I've had the worst thing happen to me and as scared as I am, you've made me laugh, you've made me feel safe, you've made me cry…"

She saw him look away, punishing himself for earlier, "I mean…" She placed her hand on his cheek bring his attention to her, "You've made me cry in ways that at the end of the day, I know who cares about me."

She brought herself closer to him, her eyes locked on his lips, "Spinelli, how did this happen?" She asked in disbelief stopping right in front of his lips as she felt his hand cup her cheek, "How?" She asked once more.

"Georgie," he softly said where her eyes glanced up at him and he repeated, "Georgie is the reason Maxie." He smiled uncontrollably as his hand pushed her blonde curls out of her eyes.

_Georgie,_ she warmly smiled, "You're the best gift she ever gave me," she searched his eyes for a reason not to kiss him, but couldn't find one.

* * *

I'm a little speechless…It's like "Whoa did I just write that?"

Well I was really hoping to move the story along, so the next chapter I think will just be various scenes taking place throughout the day(s) of the story. Depending on how long it is, I just might have the next chapter focus entirely on Maxie and Lulu with Spinelli, Kate and Sam being subsidiary characters. We'll see.

Next Chapter (specifically):

"Dad, I swear it's not what you think…"

Milo and Spinelli give Jason the bad news.

What does Mrs. Floyd want? What does Mayor Floyd think of his wife's request to snoop into his extra curricular activities?

"I have a delivery of roses for Ms. Howard, Ms. Jones, and Ms. Spencer…"

Please don't forget to review; it would just make my day!


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